Dueling Mandates in Play for FOMC

Atlanta Fed GDP Now Shows First Signs of GDP Sputtering in Several Years   The GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the first quarter of 2025 came in at -2.8% on March 3, down from -1.5% on February 28. Following releases from...

Around the Bond Market, Feb 2025

Quantitative Tightening Ending Soon   This week’s press about the Fed minutes release were the same: the Fed is worried about tariffs and is in no rush to lower rates. But beneath the headline the Fed signaled Quantitative Tightening (QT) for Treasuries is...

CPI Update: Fed on Hold

CPI rose 0.5% in January, above the 0.3% gain expected and an uptick from a 0.4% increase in December. Year-over-year, prices rose 3.0%, a tenth of a percentage point higher than expected and the fourth consecutive month of acceleration.   Source: Stifel as of...

Not Relying on Help From FOMC

FOMC Update   The January FOMC meeting went as expected (no rate cut). Chairman Powell offered limited forward guidance, stating that “we’re meaningfully above” the neutral rate for fed funds but countered that by noting the Fed is in no hurry to cut rates.  ...

Around the Bond Market: January 2025

Progress on the Debt to GDP Ratios… Kinda   The CBO, a non-partisan budget agency, updated its forecasts for the U.S. budget deficits for the next 10 years. The report showed a slightly improved fiscal picture compared to its previous outlook published back in June...

2025 Rate Cut Outlook

The market is currently pricing in 1.53 cuts for 2025 (Fed says 2). As we’ve said before, we believe the FOMC has gotten its rate closer to neutral. This positions them to patiently sit back and monitor the economy and incoming data, specifically related to policy...