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Fed Seen Holding Rates Steady, But Tight Labor Market and Inflation Risks Could Delay Rate Cuts

  • Fed expected to leave rates unchanged at Sept. 20 meeting, cut unlikely before Q2 2024

  • Nearly 20% of economists predict at least one more rate rise before end of 2022

  • Fed policy outlook depends on upcoming CPI data for August

  • Tight labor, housing markets present upside inflation risk, may delay rate cuts

  • Recession risks have declined, with only 30% chance seen in next year

reuters.com
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### Summary The majority of economists believe that the U.S. Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates again and may even cut them by the end of March, due to positive economic indicators and low unemployment. ### Facts - 90% of economists polled expect the Fed to keep interest rates in the 5.25-5.50% range at its September meeting. - Roughly 80% of economists expect no further interest rate increases this year. - The Fed's preferred measure of inflation is not expected to reach its 2% target until at least 2025. - Confidence in the economy's ability to avoid a major downturn has led to expectations that interest rates will remain higher for a longer period, causing fluctuations in bond markets. - 23 economists predict one more rate increase this year, while two expect two more increases to 5.75-6.00%. - A majority of 95 economists expect rates to decrease at least once by mid-2024, but there is no agreement on the timing of the first cut. - Nearly three-quarters of economists believe that shelter costs, a main driver of inflation, will decrease in the coming months. - The real interest rate may be adjusted by the Fed based on inflation, which could prompt a rate reduction next year rather than a stimulus. Source: [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/business/futures-touch-fifers-hopes-us-fed-rate-cut-rise-boosted-2019-08-23/)
The majority of economists polled by Reuters predict that the U.S. Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates again, and they expect the central bank to wait until at least the end of March before cutting them, as the probability of a recession within a year falls to its lowest level since September 2022.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is expected to signal in his upcoming speech that the Fed plans to maintain its benchmark interest rate at a peak level for a longer period than anticipated, suggesting that any rate cuts are unlikely until well into next year, as the central bank aims to further slow borrowing and spending to reduce inflation.
Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester believes that beating inflation will require one more interest-rate hike and then a temporary pause, stating that rate cuts may not begin in late 2024 as previously thought.
The Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to keep its key interest rate unchanged at 4.10% as inflation slows, but economists anticipate a final hike in the next quarter.
The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates by about one percentage point next year as economic growth slows and unemployment rises, according to chief economists at major North American banks.
The Federal Reserve should consider cutting its policy rate within the next six months to stabilize real rates and avoid tipping the economy into a recession, as financial stress in the real economy is rising despite slower hiring and inflation cooling, according to economist Joseph Brusuelas.
The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain one more rate hike on the table in their updated forecasts, despite their growing faith in the prospect of an economic soft-landing.
Traders and investors are betting that the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady at its September meeting, indicating a shift in the market's interpretation of good economic news, as it suggests the Fed may be close to pausing its rate hike cycle despite inflation being above target levels and potential headwinds in the economy.
The stock market is currently stagnant and the key question is when the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates, as the market struggles when the Fed tightens monetary policy.
The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its upcoming meeting, but market participants will be closely watching for any hints regarding future rate cuts.
The Federal Reserve's restrictive monetary policy, along with declining consumer savings, tightening lending standards, and increasing loan delinquencies, indicate that the economy is transitioning toward a recession, with the effectiveness of monetary policy being felt with a lag time of 11-12 months. Additionally, the end of the student debt repayment moratorium and a potential government shutdown may further negatively impact the economy. Despite this, the Fed continues to push a "higher for longer" theme regarding interest rates, despite inflation already being defeated.
Following the European Central Bank's record high interest rate hike to 4%, there is speculation about how long rates will remain at this level, with analysts predicting a 12-month pause before any cuts are made, while also considering the impact of rising oil prices on inflation expectations in Europe and the US. The Federal Reserve is expected to hold rates steady in September, but there are divided opinions on whether another hike will be delivered this year, with markets anticipating rate cuts in 2024. Similarly, the Bank of England is anticipated to make one final hike in September as it assesses inflation and economic indicators.
High mortgage rates have frozen the US housing market, but experts predict that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates in the next 12 to 18 months, potentially leading to a decline in mortgage rates.
The Federal Reserve faces the challenge of bringing down inflation to its target of 2 percent, with differing opinions on whether they will continue to raise interest rates or pause due to weakening economic indicators such as drops in mortgage rates and auto sales.
The Federal Reserve is expected to announce a pause on interest rate hikes due to positive economic indicators and the likelihood of a "soft landing" for the economy, but future decisions will be influenced by factors such as the resumption of student loan payments and a potential government shutdown.
Wall Street fears that the Federal Reserve will push out the timing for rate cuts next year, sparking concerns of a hawkish pause and increasing selling pressure, despite a trend of rapid disinflation and the potential for a higher neutral interest rate.
The Federal Reserve has revised its interest rate forecast, planning for fewer rate cuts next year than previously anticipated, which may not be favorable for borrowers.
The U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady but left room for potential rate hikes, as they see progress in fighting inflation and aim to bring it down to the target level of 2 percent; however, officials projected a higher growth rate of 2.1 percent for this year and suggested that core inflation will hit 3.7 percent this year before falling in 2024 and reaching the target range by 2026.
The Federal Reserve has indicated that interest rates will remain "higher for longer," potentially for at least three more years, in order to sustain economic growth and combat inflation.
The Federal Reserve's interest-rate forecast is more hawkish than anticipated, with policymakers expecting to hold their key rate a half-percent higher through 2024 and cutting the federal funds rate by just one quarter-point over the next 15 months due to the economy's recent unexpected strength, despite doubts from Wall Street and rising Treasury yields.
Financial markets are betting on more rate cuts next year despite Federal Reserve policymakers projecting a higher benchmark overnight interest rate by the end of 2022, which could complicate the Fed's efforts to control inflation.
J.P. Morgan strategists predict that the Federal Reserve will maintain higher interest rates until the third quarter of next year due to a strong economy and continued inflation, with implications for inflation, earnings, and equity valuations as well as potential impact from a government shutdown.
The Federal Reserve will continue to raise interest rates as inflation resurfaces, according to Wall Street investor Caitlin Long, with big corporations benefiting while other sectors of the US economy are already in recession.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) may cut interest rates in the second half of 2024, according to major bank economists, but the interest rate futures market does not anticipate any rate cuts until March 2025; historical data suggests that rate cut cycles following periods of high inflation have led to varying impacts on housing prices and unemployment, and it remains to be seen how the current economic conditions will affect these indicators.
The Federal Reserve is facing a tough decision on interest rates as some officials believe further rate increases are necessary to combat inflation, while others argue that the current rate tightening will continue to ease rising prices; however, the recent sell-off in government bonds could have a cooling effect on the economy, which may influence the Fed's decision.
Global monetary policy is expected to transition from a period of low interest rates to rate cuts by the beginning of 2024, with only a few central banks anticipated to maintain steady rates, according to Bloomberg Economics. The forecast signals a turning point in the tightening cycle and suggests that the era of ultra-low rates will not return anytime soon. The report also highlights a slower pace of descent compared to the initial rate hikes that led to the higher borrowing costs.
Wall Street and policymakers at the Federal Reserve are optimistic that the rise in long-term Treasury yields could put an end to historic interest rate hikes meant to curb inflation, with financial markets now seeing a nearly 90% chance that the US central bank will keep rates unchanged at its next policy meeting on October 31 through November 1.
Markets are increasingly expecting a Fed pause in interest rate hikes, with the chance of a rate increase in November dropping to 15.8%, down from 23.1% a week ago and 38.4% a month ago, as volatile Treasury yields play a major role in shaping market expectations.