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Meeting of 26-27 July 2023

The account of the monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank held in July 2023 reported that members agreed on the need for a further 25 basis point rate hike to bring inflation back to target, although there were concerns about the slowdown in economic activity and risks to growth. There was also discussion on the transmission of monetary policy and the potential impact on the real economy.

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The minutes of the Federal Reserve meeting suggest that another rate hike in 2023 is possible, although the Fed does not mention lowering rates and intends to balance the risk of overtightening policy against the cost of insufficient tightening; the market is less inclined to believe that rate hikes will occur as predicted by the Fed, with a higher chance of rates staying steady in September and a lower chance of a hike in November.
Two Federal Reserve officials suggest that interest-rate increases may be coming to an end, but one of them believes that further hikes may still be necessary depending on inflation trends.
As Jerome Powell, the chair of the U.S Federal Reserve, prepares to speak at the Jackson Hole symposium, the big question is whether he will signal a major shift in how central banks deal with inflation, particularly regarding interest rates and inflation targets. Some economists are suggesting moving the inflation target range from 2-3 percent, while others argue for higher targets to give central banks more flexibility in combating recession. The debate highlights the challenges of setting and changing formal inflation targets and the ongoing changes in the factors that drive growth and inflation.
President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, stated that interest rates in the European Union will need to remain high to combat inflation, despite progress being made, emphasizing the challenges posed by disruptions in the global and European economies.
The European Central Bank (ECB) will maintain high interest rates for as long as necessary to combat persistent inflation, according to ECB President Christine Lagarde, amid efforts to manage a stagnating economy; however, the ECB is also considering longer-term economic changes that may contribute to sustained inflation pressures.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled at a conference of central bankers that more rate hikes could be on the way as the economy continues to run hot, despite a series of policy tightening measures, in an effort to combat persistent inflation.
Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester believes that beating inflation will likely require one more interest-rate hike in the U.S. and then pausing for a while, although she may reassess her previous view of rate cuts starting in late 2024, and she aims to set policy so that inflation reaches the Fed's 2% goal by the end of 2025 to prevent further economic harm.
The Federal Reserve is considering raising interest rates again in order to reduce inflation to its targeted levels, as indicated by Fed Governor Michelle W. Bowman, who stated that additional rate increases will likely be needed; however, conflicting economic indicators, such as job growth and wage growth, may complicate the decision-making process.
The Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation, the PCE price index, increased in July, suggesting a higher likelihood of further interest rate hikes this year.
Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic argues against further U.S. interest rate hikes, stating that current monetary policy is already tight enough to bring inflation back down to 2% over a reasonable period and cautioning against the risk of tightening too much.
Eurozone inflation remains at 5.3%, leading analysts to speculate that the ECB may consider pausing its interest rate hikes in light of a slowing economy.
The ECB expects core inflation to come down throughout the autumn as strong price increases from a year ago fall out of the data; however, energy and food prices are expected to remain bumpy, with inflation standing at 5.3% overall. The ECB emphasizes the need to contain the second-round effects of inflation and to make it clear that the current inflation episode is temporary. Additionally, the central bank does not believe that strategic price controls are the best way to fight inflation. The ECB's modeling approach is focused on assessing what is going on and using models to understand how it will play out, with the understanding that there are limitations to all models. Climate change and demographic transitions have implications for monetary policy, but the net impact on inflation is relatively contained. The ECB has managed to avoid peripheral spreads widening through its policy responses, including the pandemic emergency purchase program and pooled fiscal resourcing. In the future, short-term rates are expected to remain high for a while but come down in the later part of the decade, which helps contain spreads.
The European Central Bank is expected to see inflation in the euro zone remain above 3% next year, which strengthens the case for an interest rate increase.
Pakistan's central bank is expected to increase interest rates in order to address high inflation and bolster foreign exchange reserves, which have led to a record low value for the rupee. A Reuters poll shows that 15 out of 17 analysts are forecasting a rate hike, with some expecting an increase of at least 150 basis points. The country's economic recovery is being challenged by IMF loan conditions, import restrictions, and subsidies removal, which have caused spikes in energy prices and elevated food inflation.
The European Central Bank is facing a dilemma on whether to raise its key interest rate to combat inflation or hold off due to economic deterioration, with investors split on the likelihood of a rate hike.
The European Central Bank is expected to raise interest rates, but traders believe that any immediate risk to the euro is likely to be on the downside, and if there is a hike, it will likely be the last.
The European Central Bank has raised key interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to help bring down inflation, although the economy is expected to remain weak for a while before slowly recovering in the coming years.
The European Central Bank has raised its main interest rate for the 10th consecutive time to tackle inflation, but indicated that further hikes may be paused for now, causing the euro to fall and European stocks to rally.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is expected to maintain a cautious approach and emphasize the Fed's resolve to target inflation and keep interest rates high for an extended period at next week's policy meeting, according to economists. The general consensus among economists is that the Fed will keep rates steady and suggest a possible rate hike later this year while closely monitoring inflation and the labor market.
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.
The Federal Reserve is expected to signal that another rate hike may be necessary due to strong economic growth and inflation metrics, creating a difference of opinion between the equity and bond markets.
The annual rate of inflation in the eurozone has been revised down to 5.2% for August, but it remains well above the European Central Bank's 2% objective despite a decrease in consumer prices.
The Federal Reserve's upcoming meeting will focus on the central bank's expectations for key indicators such as interest rates, GDP, inflation, and unemployment, while many economists believe that the Fed may signal a pause in its rate-hiking cycle but maintain the possibility of future rate increases.
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 prospect of the Bank of England pausing its interest rate hikes increased as the UK's high inflation rate unexpectedly slowed to an 18-month low, causing the pound to fall and investors to see a nearly 50-50 chance of rates staying on hold at the BoE's September meeting.
Central banks around the world may have reached the peak of interest rate hikes in their effort to control inflation, as data suggests that major economies have turned a corner on price rises and core inflation is declining in the US, UK, and EU. However, central banks remain cautious and warn that rates may need to remain high for a longer duration, and that oil price rallies could lead to another spike in inflation. Overall, economists believe that the global monetary policy tightening cycle is nearing its end, with many central banks expected to cut interest rates in the coming year.
The Turkish central bank has increased interest rates by five points to 30% in an effort to combat soaring inflation, which is above expectations, and the bank suggests that more rate hikes are likely in the future.
Federal Reserve policymakers Governor Michelle Bowman and Boston Fed President Susan Collins expressed the need to keep interest rates elevated to combat inflation, with Bowman suggesting further rate hikes will likely be needed to bring inflation down to the Fed's 2% target and Collins stating that further tightening is not off the table as progress in battling inflation has been slow.