RBA: the narrow path resembles a tightrope; a “verbal pivot” in the offing? The Fed: Déjà vu all over again?!

From

The Fed: Déjà vu all over again?! Yogi Berra was a US baseball coach renowned for his mangling of expression. He is most famous for coining the phrase “déjà vu

continue reading

Central Banks: Are we there yet?

From

The week just passed was meant to be one where markets obtained a clearer insight into when central banks, including the Federal Reserve (the Fed), the European Central Bank (ECB)

continue reading

Soft landing still a central case…but a lot can go wrong. (Or will the Bears catch “goldilocks”?)

From

RBA: monetary policy bias swinging to neutral, but still some distance to any imperative for a policy rate cut Yesterday’s release of the January Monthly consumer price index (CPI) indicator

continue reading

US January consumer price index. Not there yet. Not even close?

From

January’s US consumer price index (CPI) is a reminder that the challenges around the “last mile” in returning inflation to target are daunting. I suspect that the Federal Reserve (Fed)

continue reading

Phlegmatic Fed

From

As was widely anticipated, the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) opted to eschew any adjustment in the policy rate at the conclusion of its meeting on

continue reading

Pamplona in the bond market as it anticipates aggressive central bank policy rate reductions

From

Running with the bulls can be exhilarating and, in an investment sense, frequently rewarding. The rally in bond markets from late October into year-end provided that exhilaration and reward for

continue reading

Pamplona in the markets and the European Central Bank and Bank of England both on hold

From

Fed: Pamplona in the markets! As was widely anticipated, the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) opted to eschew any adjustment in the policy rate at the

continue reading

RBA and September quarter national accounts: historical curiosum or troubling portent?

From

Wednesday’s September quarter national accounts release did not make for a pleasing read. Growth was slow (probably slower than the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) forecast) but inflation remains high,

continue reading

RBA minutes, Bullock commentary and bond markets waiting for policy rate cuts like waiting for Godot

From

RBA minutes, Bullock commentary: a December policy rate hike looks unlikely. Governor’s communication well framed Yesterday’s Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Board meeting minutes from the 7 November  Board meeting

continue reading

US October consumer price index: risk of policy rate hike recedes…but are markets getting ahead of themselves in pricing multiple easing’s?

From

A slightly better than expected core consumer price index (CPI) inflation result for October suggests that the Fed tightening cycle is likely in abeyance – probably indefinitely. The Federal Reserve (Fed)

continue reading