Investors may be underpricing more US Fed tightening

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Stock Market ◽  
Financial Markets ◽  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Economic Activity ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Oil Price ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Equity Funds ◽  
Global Growth

Subject Financial markets. Significance The US stock market has rallied by 11.8% this year, buoyed by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) executing a dovish policy reversal in late January. Slower global growth prompted the turnaround, but at the same time, US economic activity still has momentum. Reflecting the uncertainty, a week ago futures investors saw a 20.0% chance of the Fed's next move being a rate cut and a 3.5% chance of a hike by January 2020. Expectations have since shifted, to a 7.0% chance of a cut and a 6.9% chance of a hike, respectively. Impacts The dollar is 1% higher since the Fed turnaround at end-January; much larger concerns about Europe than US activity will keep it rising. Emerging market (EM) bond and equity funds are attracting consistently high inflows, but sharply lower Chinese growth would be contagious. The Brent oil price has risen more than 20% this year, but weaker global growth will limit further gains.

US-induced volatility clouds the 2019 markets outlook

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Markets ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Bond Yields ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Treasury Bond ◽  
Asset Class ◽  
Main Support ◽  
Global Growth

Significance The idiosyncratic vulnerabilities that built up in financial markets in 2018 are morphing into a more pronounced global growth scare, exacerbated by concerns about the US Federal Reserve (Fed) being too hawkish. The combination of slower euro-area and Chinese growth and US monetary tightening is weighing on asset prices and increasing volatility after a year in which almost every major asset class suffered a loss. Monetary stimulus withdrawal is the focal point, as it has been the main support for markets since 2008. Impacts Ten-year US Treasury bond yields are down 50 basis points since April; global growth worries will make such ‘safe havens’ more attractive. Amid the worries, emerging market (EM) equities are up 1.5% from an October 29 low and may be more resilient than in previous downturns. The Brent crude oil price will be to the lower end of 50-80 dollars/barrel in 2019 amid growth and oversupply worries, reducing inflation.

Mixed bond market moves raise policy-tightening risks

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Yield Curve ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Bond Market ◽  
Bond Markets ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Industrial Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Equity Funds

Significance Its two-year equivalent, which is more sensitive to US monetary policy, has risen faster, as expectations have increased that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will raise rates at least twice more this year. The gap between ten- and two-year yields is the narrowest since 2007, suggesting that bond markets expect aggressive short-term policy tightening to dampen growth and inflation in the longer term. Impacts The VIX Index, which anticipates S&P 500 equity volatility, is settling near its three-year average of 15, having touched 50 in February. The dollar has risen by nearly 2% since April 16 despite bearish bets continuing -- suggesting that its slump may have run its course. The ‘search for yield’ will draw investors to emerging market bond and equity funds; 2018 inflows so far are nearing 73 billion dollars. The US yield curve is close to inversion, traditionally signposting recession, but the backdrop of ultra-low rates obscures the outlook. US industrial firms including Caterpillar report solid first-quarter earnings but warn of already teaching a peak, worrying investors.

Central Europe's slow rate rises will aim at growth

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rates ◽  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Slow Rate ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Central Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Us ◽  
Equity Funds ◽  
Us Dollar ◽  
The Eu

Significance The MNB’s first rate rise in a decade responds to headline inflation rising to the highest rate in the EU. The US Federal Reserve (Fed) decision to bring forward raising interest rates to 2023 is putting emerging market (EM) assets under increasing strain and heaping pressure on Central Europe’s central banks to begin tightening. Impacts Capital markets’ ‘hunt for yield’ will bolster EM bond and equity funds despite concerns about the Fed’s withdrawal of stimulus. The vast majority of investors are behaving as if the current surge in inflation will prove transitory. A sharp deterioration in sentiment may follow if price pressures last longer than expected. Brent crude’s rise to its highest level since October 2018, despite the recent rally in the US dollar, will fuel inflationary pressures.

The World Economy

2007 ◽  
Vol 202 ◽  
pp. 9-33
Keyword(s):  
Financial Markets ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Risk Premia ◽  
Real Economy ◽  
Subprime Mortgages ◽  
Money Markets ◽  
Moderate Growth ◽  
The Us ◽  
Global Growth

Defaults on subprime mortgages in the US have triggered jitters in global financial markets over the course of this year, leading to a sharp rise in certain types of risk premia over the summer. The Federal Reserve and the ECB responded by injecting emergency liquidity into money markets, on top of which the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 50 basis points in September. We expect the recent turbulence to be short-lived, and impacts on the real economy will be limited. We continue to expect global growth of 5.2 per cent this year, with a sharper slowdown in the US offset by persistently strong growth in China and a relatively robust outlook for Europe and Japan - despite disappointing outturns for the second quarter of 2007. Global growth is expected to ease to 4.7 per cent in 2008, reflecting more moderate growth in China and Europe. However, as annual global growth has exceeded 4.5 per cent in only nine years since 1970, global prospects continue to look promising. Risks to the outlook include a further rise in risk premia, which could potentially lead to major banking crises.

Emerging markets are now more resilient to US tapering

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Bond Market ◽  
Oil Price ◽  
Inflation Expectations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dramatic Decline ◽  
Equity Funds

Significance The rise in yields is stirring memories of the 2013 ‘taper tantrum’, which led to a dramatic decline in emerging market (EM) currencies and local bonds, prompting three years of net outflows from EM debt and equity funds. Investor fears of US tightening have risen with growth and inflation expectations. Impacts If the trade-weighted dollar index rises further, this will threaten EM currencies, especially those with large dollar-denominated debts. The Brent oil price has gained 70% since November to USD68 per barrel but further upside is limited, with no commodities ‘supercycle’ ahead. Recent moves fuel fears of the normally staid US bond market becoming volatile; stable ten-year Chinese yields are being seen as a haven.

Prospects for emerging economies to end-2016

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fiscal Policy ◽  
Exchange Rates ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Commodity Prices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Risks ◽  
The Us ◽  
Growth Prospects

Subject Prospects for emerging economies to end-2016. Significance Despite political risks causing bouts of volatility in countries such as Brazil and Turkey, emerging market (EM) growth prospects have improved moderately and asset prices have rebounded after the turbulence of early 2016. More stability in exchange rates has helped, with the US Federal Reserve (Fed) holding off raising rates. The rebound in commodity prices has been supportive, too, together with receding concerns about China's slowdown. Some countries have also eased fiscal policy to reduce social tensions risks.

Relief of looser US monetary policy cannot mask risks

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Monetary Policy ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Futures Market ◽  
Oil Price ◽  
Content Type ◽  
European Elections ◽  
Economic Information ◽  
Equity Funds ◽  
Succession Process ◽  
The Interest Rate

Significance Following the meal, the Fed said Powell did not discuss monetary policy "except to stress that the path of policy will depend entirely on incoming economic information and what that means for the outlook". The futures market now sees a 75% chance that the interest rate will be unchanged in twelve months’ time, a substantial shift from late last year when at least two rate hikes were widely predicted for 2019. This shift is helping US equities to regain momentum. Impacts The flatter dollar this year is helping net inflows to emerging market bond and equity funds build momentum after large outflows in 2018. Further oil price upside may be limited; Venezuela’s small share of global output means sanctions will not greatly alter market dynamics. Mario Draghi’s ECB presidency ends in October; policy could be disrupted if European elections in May delay the succession process. US economic momentum is firmer than in the euro-area or Japan but less monetary policy divergence between them may help the euro and yen.

Prospects for the US economy in 2018

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Economic Activity ◽  
Second World War ◽  
World War ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Third ◽  
Us Economy ◽  
The Us ◽  
Banking Committee ◽  
Second World

Subject Prospects for the US economy in 2018. Significance In 2018, US GDP should continue growing at the 2017 pace of 2.0-2.5%, and 0.2-0.3% higher if Congress can pass a tax cut. Incoming Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell yesterday gave his first testimony to the Senate Banking Committee, vowing continuity and stability in monetary policy. US economic activity has been expanding for 100 months, the third-longest expansion since 1854 and almost twice the post-Second World War average of 58 months.

Any US Fed balance sheet unwinding may be disorderly

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Markets ◽  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
Target Range ◽  
Treasury Bills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Treasury Securities ◽  
The Us ◽  
Repo Rate ◽  
The Interest Rate

Subject US Federal Reserve policy. Significance The US repurchase agreement (repo) rate, the interest rate on overnight loans backed by Treasury securities to facilitate a range of transactions, suddenly soared above 5% on September 15, 2019. There were immediate effects across financial markets, but the Federal Reserve (Fed) quickly bought up Treasury bills and the repo rate returned to the Fed’s 2.00-2.25% target range. However, concerns linger about whether a spike could recur. The Fed has increased its balance sheet by more than 10% since September but sees this as a temporary adjustment rather than a policy change. Impacts Having narrowed to 3.7 trillion dollars by August 2019, the Fed’s balance sheet could pass its 4.4-trillion-dollar record this year. The Fed will seek to ensure its has enough resources for corporate-tax payment dates but without increasing its holdings indefinitely. Increasing the size of the Fed’s balance sheet could limit the effectiveness of further balance sheet expansion in a future crisis.

US rates rift will fuel financial market volatility

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Markets ◽  
Bond Markets ◽  
Open Market ◽  
Federal Open Market Committee ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Us Economy ◽  
China Trade ◽  
The Us ◽  
Investment Grade ◽  
Global Growth

Subject Financial markets outlook. Significance The decision of the US Federal Reserve (Fed) on September 18 to lower its main policy rate while not assuring investors that it will continue to loosen monetary policy is exposing divisions within the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), and between the Fed and bond markets. The ‘hawkish cut’ came with three dissensions, reflecting the disconnect between the resilient US economy and the deterioration in the global growth outlook. Impacts Cautious investor optimism that a US-China trade truce will be struck is fuelling US equity gains, but a substantial deal seems unlikely. The Brent oil price fell back within days following the drone attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities, but more short spikes are possible. Almost one-third of investment-grade government and corporate bonds are negative yielding; those with zero lifetime coupon are riskiest.

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