SNB unexpectedly leaves policy rate unchanged at 1.75%.
The Swiss national bank unexpectedly leaves its policy rate unchanged at 1.75%. Market was estimating the probability of a 25bps hike at more than 70% yesterday.
USDCHF broke the 200 daily moving average of 0.9036 and now trading higher over 0.9060.
EURCHF also trading higher at 0.9650.
This chart tells the story:
The rate priced in for the Fed’s December 2024 meeting hit a new high for this cycle at 4.7%, meaning investors have sharply trimmed their hopes of interest rate cuts in 2024. Source: HolgerZ, Bloomberg
BREAKING: A HAWKISH PAUSE BY THE FED
FOMC KEEPS RATES UNCHANGED AS EXPECTED BUT MAKES CLEAR THAT HIGHER RATES ARE THE NEW NORMAL...US 2y yields hit highest since 2006 after somewhat hawkish Fed. Bottom-line: #Fed futures now no longer show rate CUTS beginning until September 2024. To put this in perspective, three months ago futures were expecting 4 rate CUTS in 2023. Now, interest rates are expected to PAUSE for at least 1 year... One remark: Fed estimates that r* (the real short-term interest rate expected to prevail when an economy is at full strength and inflation is stable) remains at 0.5%, and yet rates in 2026, when US debt may hit $50 trillion will be 3%. This means that blended interest on US debt will be ~$2 trillion, double where it is now. Source: Bloomberg, The Kobeissi Letter, HolgerZ, www.zerohedge.com
FED leaves rates unchanged, signals one more hike this year
The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged while signaling one more hike this year. FOMC repeated language saying officials will determine the “extent of additional policy firming that may be appropriate.” The FOMC held its target range for the federal funds rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, while projections showed 12 of 19 officials favored another rate hike in 2023.
German banks are NOT passing on the increased interest rates to their customers
Commerzbank, Germany's 2n-largest retail bank, has announced it will increase net interest income to €8bn. Commerzbank has increased its deposit beta - a measure of how much of a rate increase it passes along to savers - slower than initially expected. The bank will end this year with something around a deposit beta of avg 40%. Source: HolgerZ, Bloomberg
Central banks meetings calendar
Source: Bloomberg
In the US, the slow motion bank run continue...
Interest Rates on Deposits, by Bank: 1. Wells Fargo: 0.15% 2. Citibank: 0.05% 3. Chase: 0.01% 4. Bank of America: 0.01% 5. US Bank: 0.01% Rates on Alternatives to Bank Deposits: 1. CDs: 5.0% 2. Money Market: 4.5% 3. Treasury Bonds: 4.0% Deposits continue to flow out of banks at a historic pace with $1 trillion+ withdrawn over the last year. The era of "free" money for large US banks is coming to an end. They must raise interest paid on deposits or capital will continue to leave. Source: The Kobeissi Letter, Apollo
Today is ECB day
What is the Taylor rule telling us when it comes to theoretical interest rates based on German data? Key interest rate should be at 10.9%, so 6.6% higher than current rate, according to Taylor Rule with German inflation at 6.4% & unemployment below NAIRU. Howeverm the spread between Taylor Rule rate & ECB key rate is lower than it has been since 2021. This might suggest that hike cycle could soon come to an end. Source: Bloomberg, HolgerZ
