FED: DON'T SEE CUTS UNTIL MORE CONFIDENT INFLATION NEARING 2%
In a nutshell · The FOMC voted unanimously to leave benchmark rate unchanged - as expected - in target range of 5.25%-5.5% for fourth straight meeting while making significant changes to statement · However, the statement was very much more hawkish than expected, as The Fed pushed back aggressively against the dovish market stance. Market reaction: -> The 10-year Treasury yield fell more than 7 basis points to 3.98%. The yield on the 2-year Treasury was last down about 8 basis points at 4.27% -> US equity indices are retreating. Gold is paring gains, dollar is recovering. -> Odds of a March Fed rate cut plummet from 47% to 31% after the Fed interest rate decision. Our take: The U.S. economy enters 2024 from a position of strength. For instance, the S&P PMI came in higher than expected last week. Q4 GDP growth in the U.S. came in at 3.3% annualized, well above expectations of 2.0% growth. And while disinflation is firmly in place, the inflation rate remains above the central bank target. There is thus no reason for the Fed to rush. Nevertheless, we still believe they will have to cut rates at some point for the following reasons: 1/ Keeping rates too high for too long can have long-lasting effects on US economic growth 2/ Keeping rates steady while inflation is coming down imply rising real rates. Keeping positive real rates for too long at a time when Uncle Sam is facing $33T debt and surging interest rates payments is unsustainable
German inflation slows to 2.9% in January from 3.7% in December, lowest level since June 2021
Core CPI slows to 3.4% in January from 3.5% in December, lowest level June 2022. Energy in deflation, hashtag#energy prices dropped -2.8% YoY, while Food CPI slowed to 3.8% from 4.5% in December. Source: HolgerZ, Bloomberg
In France, 3 out of the 4 favorite political leaders are from the far right...
1) Marine Le Pen (RN) 40%; 3) Jordan Bardella (RN) 37%; and 4) Marion Marechal Le Pen (Reconquête) 29%. Source: Le Figaro Verian - EPOKA / February poll
US Treasury confirms spending on debt interest now larger than entire Defense Budget.... and will soon surpass entire Social Security budget.
Source: www.zerohedge.com
The weight of the 10 largest sp500 stocks is now 33.1% of the total $SPX, the highest level in almost 5 decades.
Source: Barchart
In 2004, Priceline $BKNG acquired Booking.com for $100 million.
Over the last 12 months, http://Booking.com generated ~$20 billion in revenue! Source: Finchat
BUBBLES = Super-short-term gambling (zero days to expiration options)... is now running at 50% of the daily flow
Source: Keith McCullough, Bloomberg
Saudi Arabia has announced that it will stop pursuing the expansion of its oil production capacity, reversing a key goal in the oil's superpower strategy
Supporters of the energy transition are celebrating, but geopolitics may be more important than what meets the eye. In a nutshell, Saudi Arabia manages together with Russia a very complex political and economic arrangement within the OPEC+ alliance. Riyad and Moscow are coordinating with other producers around the world in order to revive the global oil market, prevent production surplus and keep oil prices higher than non-OPEC producers' policies would. Source: Francesco Sassi
