March 2024 FOMC: Dovish Tone

The FOMC voted unanimously to leave their benchmark rate unchanged in the target range of 5.25%-5.5%.   Source: Bloomberg as of 03.20.2024   The big surprise was the willingness of the Fed to maintain their projection for 3 rate cuts in 2024 even on the back...

March CPI: Inflation Still Sticky

Inflation Stabilizing Above 3%   The U.S. CPI rose +0.4% m/m (3.2% y/y) & core (ex-food & energy) was +0.4% m/m (3.8% y/y) in February. The so-called “supercore” gauge slowed to 0.47% on the month, down from a red-hot 0.85% in January. The data is...

Competing Forces in the Bond Market

Productivity is the Way Out Productivity plays a crucial role in influencing both inflation and economic growth. A key to stopping a second wave of inflation is likely productivity (output per hour) picking up. Instead of having too much money chasing too few goods we...

CPI: Shelter Costs Remain Uncomfortably High

Consumer prices came in hotter than expected to start the year. This delivers another painful blow to market expectations for quick and aggressive Fed rate cuts. January CPI MoM Headline: +0.3% (Exp: +0.2%) Core: +0.4% (Exp: +0.3%) YoY Headline: +3.1% (Exp: +2.9%)...

Fed Reconfirms 2% Inflation Target

The Fed left the benchmark rate unchanged at 5.25%-5.5%, as was expected. This is the fourth meeting in a row of no action. They did back away from their prior bias to further tightening as inflation has fallen notably over the past year. However, it is still above...

Inflation Volatility Unlikely to Disappear

Market is Pricing in Six Rates Cuts in 2024   Currently, Fed Funds traders are pricing in six cuts (shown below in orange) by the end of 2024. Keep in mind that the Fed projected just three cuts in its latest Summary of Economic Projections (shown below in blue)....