The Fed has announced two more rate hikes this year


Dhe Federal Reserve is determined to curb inflation: it is raising interest rates by 0.75 percentage points and is raising the prospect of further rate hikes. It is the third rate hike of this magnitude in a row. The decision announced on Wednesday evening was unanimous.

Bank overnight lending rates are now in the 3 and 3.25 percent range. The central bank expects “further hikes to be appropriate,” says the statement released after the two-day Fed meeting. She is “decided to bring inflation back to the target of two percent,” it said. US core inflation was 6.3 percent in August. Share prices rose sharply after falling immediately after the Fed’s announcement.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed will continue to tighten monetary policy until there is convincing evidence that inflation is easing. A successful policy to reduce inflation requires a prolonged period in which economic growth is below the growth trend and potential of the economy. In addition, the labor market must cool down. He reiterated the key message of his Jackson Hole keynote speech that pain is essential. Lessons from the past showed that a premature return to easy monetary policy is harmful and prolongs suffering.

The Fed’s determination is also reflected in the Fed’s projections, which combine central bankers’ forecasts for growth, unemployment, inflation and growth. On average, the central bankers expect key interest rates to climb to 4.4 percent this year. That would mean two more rate hikes later this year. Two Fed meetings are still to come this year. For next year, the central bankers expect only a small increase in interest rates before monetary policy is then eased again slightly from 2024 onwards. As a result, the inflation target of almost two percent will not be reached before 2025.

The price for the tightening is shrinking economic growth: For this year, the central bankers are predicting almost stagnation with growth of just 0.2 percent. In the years that follow, growth is projected to remain below two percent, while the unemployment rate rises to as much as 4.4 percent.

Powell sees the American labor market in a historically unique situation: The financial conditions that have changed as a result of the tighter monetary policy are dampening growth and exports, but they have not yet had an impact on the labor market. This is still out of balance, Powell said, given the fact that there are far more vacancies than job seekers.

On Thursday, the Bank of England will decide on its key interest rate to combat inflation, which is around 10 percent. The British central bankers had postponed the meeting due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Just a few weeks ago, the majority of economists were expecting interest rates to rise by 0.5 percentage points. According to many observers, however, an aggressive rate hike of 0.75 percentage points to 2.5 percent could now be forthcoming. That would be the biggest one-day hike in London interest rates in 27 years.



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