Economic data for the most part continue to come in stronger than expected. In the futures market, traders’ rate expectations are now down to three to four cuts this year, down from six to seven post-December ‘Fed pivot’ meeting. It … Continued
The FOMC dot plot yesterday surprised many with expectations of two more 25-basis-point hikes by December. Futures traders are only betting on one hike in July. Several times over the last several months, they have been forced to readjust; odds … Continued
Ahead of Wednesday’s March CPI and after a nice two- to three-week rally, sellers show up at important resistance on major US equity indices. With the daily in overbought territory, the bias is to the downside near term. Trader expectations … Continued
Following futures positions of non-commercials are as of April 4, 2023. 10-year note: Currently net short 621k, up 149.5k. The FOMC minutes for the March 21-22 meeting come out on Wednesday. The fed funds rate was raised by 25 basis … Continued
The two-day FOMC meeting ends today. Unlike calls from some major brokers not to raise, the policy-setting body in all probability will hike by 25 basis points to a range of 475 basis points to 500 basis points. More importantly, … Continued
The federal government is up to the gills in debt. Interest payments run up in the billions every year. This was not much of an issue in a low-interest-rate environment. But right now, the Federal Reserve is tightening. Higher rates … Continued
Inflation is all the focus right now – for the central bank, for stocks and for the average household. The Fed is tightening and wants to see consumer inflation make a dash toward its two percent target. There are incipient … Continued
In the early months of 2020, the Fed aggressively flooded the system with liquidity, meeting three times in March alone. That was the need of the hour. Now, it probably needs to act with a similar speed – only in … Continued
VIX flashed a spike reversal last week. If history repeats itself, this probably means downward pressure on volatility, and higher stock prices. This is near term. Medium- to long-term, it will take time to heal the technical damage inflicted this … Continued
The FOMC meets this week. Stocks are adjusting to an increasingly hawkish Fed, which is belatedly alarmed by the persistently rising inflation. At some point, the long end of the treasury yield curve is likely to cry uncle, putting earnings … Continued