Something doesn’t feel right with Fed expectations [Video]

Ipek Ozkardeskaya Swissquote Bank Ltd

Yesterday was one of those days when investors insisted on seeing a glass that was one-tenth full as completely full. The US producer price data came in higher than expected. US President Joe Biden announced eye-watering tariffs on Chinese imports – that’s inflationary – and the Federal Reserve (Fed) President Jerome Powell called for patience, again yesterday, and said that they did not expect the inflation battle ‘to be a smooth road’ but that the numbers ‘were higher than anybody expected’, and that it will probably take them ‘longer… to become confident that inflation is coming down to 2%’. Indeed, Biden is throwing a wrench in the works of the Fed with his China trade policy.

Overall, the inflation, Fed and China news weren’t supportive. But the market was quick to shrug off the bad news because some components of the PPI number that feed into the PCE – the Fed’s favourite gauge of inflation that’s due later in the month – were more muted.

All eyes are on the US CPI update today. Both headline and core inflation are expected to have moderated last month. If that’s the case, the risk rally will likely continue. And if it’s not the case, the risk rally could continue, as well. Until when? Until it doesn’t.

Author

Ipek Ozkardeskaya

Swissquote Bank Ltd

Ipek Ozkardeskaya began her financial career in 2010 in the structured products desk of the Swiss Banque Cantonale Vaudoise. She worked in HSBC Private Bank in Geneva in relation to high and ultra-high-net-worth clients.

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