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...

December FOMC Update

As expected, the Fed left its target rate unchanged at 5.25% – 5.50%, matching market consensus.  The updated rate forecast, or dot plot, doesn’t have another rate hike penciled in next year.   Source: Bianco/Fed as of 12.14.2023   In addition, expectations...

FOMC Pause, For Now

As broadly expected, the Fed left their target Fed Funds rate unchanged at the 5.25% to 5.50% range. The pause from July to November marks the longest period without an increase since the liftoff in March of 2022. Powell did leave the door open for further tightening,...

July 2023 FOMC: Another 25bps

The Fed raised rates for the 11th time in 16 months, bumping rates +25bp to 5.25%-5.5% at today’s FOMC meeting. This matched the market consensus and puts short-term rates at a 22-year high (last seen January 2001).  The Fed kept the statement the same in regard to...

Rearview to Windshield, July 2023

June ‘23 Market Recap: The banking fears of Q1 faded into an all-out Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) FOMO trade in Q2, as the S&P 500 returned 8.74%. Outside of AI, this quarter’s narrative was “Immaculate Disinflation”, which embodies falling inflation and stable...