Syz the moment

Meanwhile, the market see quarterly ECB rate cuts - see chart below. - European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member Gediminas Simkus told Econostream Media that he saw a “clear case” for an interest rate cut in September but regarded the potential for another one in October was “quite unlikely.” - Executive Board member Piero Cipollone told France’s Le Monde newspaper that recent economic data so far had confirmed that inflation was slowing, giving scope for the ECB to lower borrowing costs. “There is a real risk that our stance could become too restrictive and harm the economy”. - However, Bundesbank’s Joachim Nagel continued to warn about premature easing, given elevated wage growth and services inflation, in an interview with the Faz newspaper. Source: Bloomberg, T Rowe

This is 5% higher than the previous record of 460 tonnes set in the first half of 2023. In Q2 2024, central banks bought 183 tonnes of gold, marking a 6% year-over-year increase. On the other hand, this was 39% lower than the 300 tonnes of purchases seen in Q1. The largest buyers were the National Bank of Poland, the Reserve Bank of India, and the Central Bank of Turkey. Why are central banks stocking up on gold? Source: The Kobeissi Letter

Between 50 - 100 bps in cuts are priced for most central banks across advanced economies for this year alone. Source: Robin Brooks

Source: Tavi Costa, Crescat Capital, Bloomberg

There's now a 95%+ chance that interest rates are cut in September with a 78% chance of a 25 bps rate cut, according to @Kalshi Source: The Kobeissi Letter

Here's a summary of Fed chair Powell's remarks (8/23/24): 1. "The time has come for Fed policy to adjust" 2. Fed "will do everything" to support a strong labor market 3. Fed does not welcome further weakening of the labor market 4. Confidence has grown that inflation is heading to 2% 5. Balance of risks to Fed mandates has changed 6. Inflation has declined significantly toward the goal As mentioned by Nick Timiraos, the Powell pivot is complete: “The cooling in labor market conditions is unmistakable.” “It seems unlikely that the labor market will be a source of elevated inflationary pressures anytime soon.” “We do not seek or welcome further cooling in labor market conditions.” “The time has come for policy to adjust. The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks.” “We will do everything we can to support a strong labor market as we make further progress toward price stability.” equities, bonds, cryptos, gold, etc. are all rallying post-statement. Bottom-line: Fed Chair Powell validates rate cuts soon, but didn't make any promises on size and extent. We believe that moving away from a restrictive monetary policy, to a more neutral stance, makes sense. We continue to believe the first fed funds rate cut will be -25bp in September.

Based on current macro data, there's no reason for the Fed to cut this aggressively. Let's see how Powell manages it today at jacksonhole. Source: Markets & Mayhem

Here's a quick recap of the FOMC minutes... ▪ Fed Minutes said risk to inflation goal had decreased. ▪ The FOMC minutes indicate a "likely" rate cut in September as most Fed members are leaning towards a rate cut at the next meeting—if the data stays positive. ▪ July Debates: SEVERAL PARTICIPANTS SAID RECENT PROGRESS ON INFLATION AND INCREASES IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE PROVIDED A PLAUSIBLE CASE FOR A 25-BASIS-POINT RATE CUT AT JULY'S MEETING OR THAT THEY COULD HAVE SUPPORTED SUCH A MOVE. ▪ ⚠️ Rising Unemployment Risks: Fed believed the labor market is in a better place but payrolls were overstated (made sense given the 818k job revision today). The majority are concerned about increasing unemployment. 📉 Economic Growth Downgraded: The outlook for growth in the second half of 2024 has been revised downward. Fed believed consumer spending did start to weaken based on delinquencies going up ▪ 📊 Inflation Confidence: Recent reports have strengthened the Fed’s belief in managing inflation. ▪ 🕰️ Timing Matters: Delaying easing could significantly weaken the economy. => The first rate cut since 2020 likely coming next month. => S&P 500, Nasdaq close higher as Fed minutes lift investors’ hopes for a September rate cut!