|

Economic wrap for the US: Yellen getting hawkish? - Westpac

Analysts at Westpac offered an economic wrap for the US session.

Key Quotes:

"Fed Chair Yellen’s address at the Jackson Hole symposium was notable for explicitly mentioning rate hikes: "the case for an increase in the federal funds rate has strengthened in recent months". However, that was balanced by: "Our decisions always depend on the degree to which incoming data continues to confirm the Committee's outlook." The inclusion of the word strengthened was new to the Fed’s policy outlook and indicated a hawkish shift, but markets didn’t really believe it until VC Fischer spoke to CNBC. He said Yellen’s message was consistent with a rate hike in September (data-dependant, of course), saw evidence that the economy had strengthened during the past three months, and pointed to next week’s payrolls report as an important gauge of that strength.

US Q2 GDP was confirmed at a 1.1% annualised pace in Q2, as expected, from the 1.2% previous estimate. This was driven by weaker net exports and inventories, while personal consumption was strong.

Author

Ross J Burland

Ross J Burland, born in England, UK, is a sportsman at heart. He played Rugby and Judo for his county, Kent and the South East of England Rugby team.

More from Ross J Burland
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD recovers to 1.1750 region as 2025 draws to a close

Following the bearish action seen in the European session on Wednesday, EUR/USD regains its traction and recovery to the 1.1750 region. Nevertheless, the pair's volatility remains low as trading conditions thin out on the last day of the year.

GBP/USD stays weak near 1.3450 on modest USD recovery

GBP/USD remains under modest beairsh pressure and fluctuates at around 1.3450 on Wednesday. The US Dollar finds fresh demand due to the end-of-the-year position adjustments, weighing on the pair amid the pre-New Year trading lull. 

Gold retreats to $4,300 area, looks to post monthly gains

Gold stays on the back foot on the last day of 2025 and trades near $4,300, possibly pressured by profit-taking and position adjustments. Nevertheless, XAU/USD remains on track to post gains for December and extend its winning streak into a fifth consecutive month.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP prepare for a potential New Year rebound

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are holding steady on Wednesday after recording minor gains on the previous day. Technically, Bitcoin could extend gains within a triangle pattern while Ethereum and Ripple face critical overhead resistance. 

Economic outlook 2026-2027 in advanced countries: Solidity test

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Crypto market outlook for 2026

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT), adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets (RWA).