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9 Jan 2025

FOMC Minutes Show 'Almost All' Fed Members See Higher Inflation Risks, Cite Trump Policies

👉 RATE POLICY: — A 25bps rate cut was broadly supported, with the majority favoring a cautious approach to further easing. — Many participants suggested that a variety of factors underlined the need for a careful approach to monetary policy decisions over coming quarters — Some participants noted it might be prudent to pause rate cuts if inflation readings remain above target or economic momentum persists. — A few officials highlighted potential scenarios to accelerate cuts if inflation trends lower or labor market softens more than expected. — Many emphasized the importance of carefully assessing the neutral rate and moving gradually to avoid policy missteps. 👉RISK OUTLOOK: — Inflation risks remain balanced, though higher-than-expected recent readings warrant close monitoring. — Labor market risks were deemed manageable, with no rapid deterioration expected. 👉ECONOMIC CONTEXT: — Inflation progress has slowed but remains on a downward path; core PCE inflation was noted at 2.8% in October. — Labor market conditions have eased slightly, but unemployment remains low at 4.2%. — Participants expect solid GDP growth to continue, though some noted financial strains for lower-income households. 👉BALANCE SHEET AND TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS: — Continued reduction in Treasury and mortgage-backed securities reaffirmed, with caps set at $25B and $35B per month, respectively. — Discussed adjusting the overnight reverse repo (ON RRP) rate to align with the bottom of the federal funds rate range. 👉 ADDITIONAL NOTES: — Fed emphasizes data-dependent decision-making, balancing risks to inflation and employment. — Gradual easing remains the likely path, with flexibility to adapt if economic or inflation conditions shift. - source: Wall St Engine @wallstengine

9 Jan 2025

YELLEN: "FISCAL POLICY NEEDS TO BE PUT ON A SUSTAINABLE COURSE"

As a reminder, Mrs Yellen was Fed vice chair and chair from 2010 to 2018 and has been treasury secretary since 2021. On an aggregate basis, she has been directly overseeing and presiding over a $15 TRILLION increase in US debt... Source: www.zerohedge.com

8 Jan 2025

Probably nothing

Source: Bianco Research L.L.C.

8 Jan 2025

Should we get prepared for a choppy quarter???

The S&P 500 has gained ~1.0% on average in the first quarter after a US presidential election since 1950. It also historically comes with elevated volatility as market swings widen to both directions. On average, the first year of a new presidential cycle has seen an 8.2% average return. Source: The Kobeissi Letter, J-C Parets

8 Jan 2025

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a $20 billion FOREIGN investment to build new data centers ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, according to CNBC.

Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani, a Trump associate and founder of the property development company DAMAC Properties, is pledging “at least” that amount, the president-elect said at his Florida home Mar-a-Lago. “They may go double, or even somewhat more than double, that amount of money,” Trump said of Sajwani’s company. The “first phase” of the plan will take place in Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Indiana, Trump said. Source: Stocktwits, CNBC

8 Jan 2025

Yields spike after somewhat hot US economic data with US 10y now at 4.67%:

ISM Prices Paid Index came in higher than expected, signaling potential future inflation. At the same time, JOLTS job openings unexpectedly increased, with previous month's data also revised upward. Source: Bloomberg, HolgerZ

8 Jan 2025

Markets are heating up Nasdaq just posted its single largest daily volume in HISTORY with 13.4 BILLION shares traded yesterday.

This beats the previous record of 11.9 billion shares on May 16th, 2024. Source: Barchart

8 Jan 2025

A classic Meta to End Fact-Checking Program in Shift Ahead of Trump Term

Source: TrendSpider

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