新鮮出爐的美國通脹數(shù)據(jù)可能讓美聯(lián)儲(Federal Reserve)在降息速度上更加謹慎,但它目前還沒有這樣做。
在媒體報道11月美國的通脹符合預期之后,投資者普遍預測美聯(lián)儲將在下周將借貸利率下調25個基點。但持續(xù)的價格壓力也凸顯了人們的擔憂,即實現(xiàn)美聯(lián)儲2%通脹目標的進程可能會陷入停滯。
這些擔憂可能令美聯(lián)儲控制在2025年的預期降息次數(shù),因為他們要進一步確認通脹正在朝著他們的目標前進。政策制定者將在12月17日至18日華盛頓會議結束時,公布新的預期和利率預測。
前克利夫蘭聯(lián)邦儲備銀行(Cleveland Fed)總裁洛雷塔·梅斯特表示:“我認為他們在12月一定會繼續(xù)降息25個基點。市場已經為此做好了準備。然而,他們可能要重新考慮明年的計劃,因為現(xiàn)在看來,控制通脹的進程確實有所停滯?!?/p>
就在三個月前,隨著對美國勞動力市場降溫接近危險臨界點的擔憂日益加劇,美聯(lián)儲開始了降息周期,大幅降息50個基點。下周的降息將是美聯(lián)儲連續(xù)第3次降息,將把聯(lián)邦基金利率下調至4.25%至4.5%的區(qū)間,比9月初整整下降一個百分點。
但這依舊遠遠高于政策制定者在9月份預估的2.9%的利率中位數(shù),當時他們預測利率最終將穩(wěn)定在這個水平。美聯(lián)儲并不急于達成這個目標。
這是因為自9月以來,通脹下降速度低于預期,而且勞動力市場也沒有像人們所擔心的那么疲軟。對于這種情況,包括杰羅姆·鮑威爾在內的美聯(lián)儲官員均暗示,他們準備慢慢降低借貸成本。
如果政策制定者保持9月份的預測不變,這意味著在今年12月份的降息之后,美聯(lián)儲將在2025年再進行4次降息。但許多分析師預測,由于對頑固性通脹的擔憂加劇,特別是在美聯(lián)儲下周堅持降息的情況下,美聯(lián)儲在2025年可能會減少降息次數(shù)。
Brean Capital LLC高級經濟顧問康拉德·德卡德羅斯表示:“支持降息的‘鴿派’將為此付出代價,在預測中不得不接受更高的利率路徑。我們會看到美聯(lián)儲降息,但未來降息的幅度會大幅下降。”
根據(jù)聯(lián)邦基金期貨的定價,投資者認為在美聯(lián)儲12月降息后,明年還會有兩到三次降息。
MacroPolicy Perspectives創(chuàng)始人、前美聯(lián)儲經濟學家茱莉亞·科羅納多認為,有多位美聯(lián)儲官員可能會減少2025年的預期降息次數(shù)。
科羅納多表示:“他們在基準情景預測中減少寬松政策是合理的。但問題在于‘好吧,那么時間安排呢?’”
更強勁的數(shù)據(jù)
美國勞工統(tǒng)計局(Bureau of Labor Statistics)周三發(fā)布的11月份數(shù)據(jù)顯示,剔除波動較大的食品和能源成本的核心通脹連續(xù)4個季度上漲了0.3%。與一年前相比,核心通脹率上漲了3.3%。
上個月,導致通脹居高不下的住房成本有所回落。但剔除食品和能源的商品價格(此前成本一直在下降)上漲了0.3%,創(chuàng)下自2023年5月以來的最大漲幅。
交易員的反應是,將美聯(lián)儲下周降息的概率從通脹數(shù)據(jù)發(fā)布前的約80%提高至約90%。
馬爾堡投資管理公司(Marlborough Investment Management)的投資組合經理詹姆斯·阿西表示:“12月份降息似乎已經板上釘釘,而且美聯(lián)儲不是那種喜歡給市場帶來驚喜的央行?!?/p>
短期美國國債最初大幅上漲,但數(shù)據(jù)公布當天晚些時候回吐了這些漲幅。由于周五公布的11月份就業(yè)數(shù)據(jù)喜憂參半,債券多頭在本周初信心大增,這使得美聯(lián)儲今年再次降息的可能性大增。
彭博經濟(Bloomberg Economics)的專家怎么說……
“11月強勁的核心CPI數(shù)據(jù)將加劇聯(lián)邦公開市場委員會少數(shù)成員對通貨緊縮停滯的擔憂。確實,正如市場租金長期以來所預示的那樣,住房租金通脹最終有所回落,但商品價格的通脹放緩勢頭已經減弱。
—— 安娜·黃與斯圖爾特·保羅,經濟學家
更強勁的通脹數(shù)據(jù)也讓更多人質疑,當前中性利率(既不會減緩也不會刺激經濟的借貸成本)是否變得更高。如果中性利率升高,這意味著利率并沒有像之前預測的那樣,給經濟帶來太大下行壓力。
美聯(lián)儲的官員不希望利率造成太多限制,以免給勞動力市場造成損害,但他們也不希望過快降息,以免利率低于中性水平并再次引發(fā)通脹。
鮑威爾上周表示:“在尋找中性利率的過程中,我們可以更加謹慎一些?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W)
譯者:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
新鮮出爐的美國通脹數(shù)據(jù)可能讓美聯(lián)儲(Federal Reserve)在降息速度上更加謹慎,但它目前還沒有這樣做。
在媒體報道11月美國的通脹符合預期之后,投資者普遍預測美聯(lián)儲將在下周將借貸利率下調25個基點。但持續(xù)的價格壓力也凸顯了人們的擔憂,即實現(xiàn)美聯(lián)儲2%通脹目標的進程可能會陷入停滯。
這些擔憂可能令美聯(lián)儲控制在2025年的預期降息次數(shù),因為他們要進一步確認通脹正在朝著他們的目標前進。政策制定者將在12月17日至18日華盛頓會議結束時,公布新的預期和利率預測。
前克利夫蘭聯(lián)邦儲備銀行(Cleveland Fed)總裁洛雷塔·梅斯特表示:“我認為他們在12月一定會繼續(xù)降息25個基點。市場已經為此做好了準備。然而,他們可能要重新考慮明年的計劃,因為現(xiàn)在看來,控制通脹的進程確實有所停滯。”
就在三個月前,隨著對美國勞動力市場降溫接近危險臨界點的擔憂日益加劇,美聯(lián)儲開始了降息周期,大幅降息50個基點。下周的降息將是美聯(lián)儲連續(xù)第3次降息,將把聯(lián)邦基金利率下調至4.25%至4.5%的區(qū)間,比9月初整整下降一個百分點。
但這依舊遠遠高于政策制定者在9月份預估的2.9%的利率中位數(shù),當時他們預測利率最終將穩(wěn)定在這個水平。美聯(lián)儲并不急于達成這個目標。
這是因為自9月以來,通脹下降速度低于預期,而且勞動力市場也沒有像人們所擔心的那么疲軟。對于這種情況,包括杰羅姆·鮑威爾在內的美聯(lián)儲官員均暗示,他們準備慢慢降低借貸成本。
如果政策制定者保持9月份的預測不變,這意味著在今年12月份的降息之后,美聯(lián)儲將在2025年再進行4次降息。但許多分析師預測,由于對頑固性通脹的擔憂加劇,特別是在美聯(lián)儲下周堅持降息的情況下,美聯(lián)儲在2025年可能會減少降息次數(shù)。
Brean Capital LLC高級經濟顧問康拉德·德卡德羅斯表示:“支持降息的‘鴿派’將為此付出代價,在預測中不得不接受更高的利率路徑。我們會看到美聯(lián)儲降息,但未來降息的幅度會大幅下降?!?/p>
根據(jù)聯(lián)邦基金期貨的定價,投資者認為在美聯(lián)儲12月降息后,明年還會有兩到三次降息。
MacroPolicy Perspectives創(chuàng)始人、前美聯(lián)儲經濟學家茱莉亞·科羅納多認為,有多位美聯(lián)儲官員可能會減少2025年的預期降息次數(shù)。
科羅納多表示:“他們在基準情景預測中減少寬松政策是合理的。但問題在于‘好吧,那么時間安排呢?’”
更強勁的數(shù)據(jù)
美國勞工統(tǒng)計局(Bureau of Labor Statistics)周三發(fā)布的11月份數(shù)據(jù)顯示,剔除波動較大的食品和能源成本的核心通脹連續(xù)4個季度上漲了0.3%。與一年前相比,核心通脹率上漲了3.3%。
上個月,導致通脹居高不下的住房成本有所回落。但剔除食品和能源的商品價格(此前成本一直在下降)上漲了0.3%,創(chuàng)下自2023年5月以來的最大漲幅。
交易員的反應是,將美聯(lián)儲下周降息的概率從通脹數(shù)據(jù)發(fā)布前的約80%提高至約90%。
馬爾堡投資管理公司(Marlborough Investment Management)的投資組合經理詹姆斯·阿西表示:“12月份降息似乎已經板上釘釘,而且美聯(lián)儲不是那種喜歡給市場帶來驚喜的央行?!?/p>
短期美國國債最初大幅上漲,但數(shù)據(jù)公布當天晚些時候回吐了這些漲幅。由于周五公布的11月份就業(yè)數(shù)據(jù)喜憂參半,債券多頭在本周初信心大增,這使得美聯(lián)儲今年再次降息的可能性大增。
彭博經濟(Bloomberg Economics)的專家怎么說……
“11月強勁的核心CPI數(shù)據(jù)將加劇聯(lián)邦公開市場委員會少數(shù)成員對通貨緊縮停滯的擔憂。確實,正如市場租金長期以來所預示的那樣,住房租金通脹最終有所回落,但商品價格的通脹放緩勢頭已經減弱。
—— 安娜·黃與斯圖爾特·保羅,經濟學家
更強勁的通脹數(shù)據(jù)也讓更多人質疑,當前中性利率(既不會減緩也不會刺激經濟的借貸成本)是否變得更高。如果中性利率升高,這意味著利率并沒有像之前預測的那樣,給經濟帶來太大下行壓力。
美聯(lián)儲的官員不希望利率造成太多限制,以免給勞動力市場造成損害,但他們也不希望過快降息,以免利率低于中性水平并再次引發(fā)通脹。
鮑威爾上周表示:“在尋找中性利率的過程中,我們可以更加謹慎一些?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W)
譯者:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
Federal Reserve Board Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee meeting in Washington on November 07, 2024 in Washington, DC.
Fresh inflation figures are likely to make the Federal Reserve more cautious about the pace of interest-rate cuts — but not quite yet.
Investors still widely expect the US central bank to cut borrowing costs by a quarter percentage point next week after a new report showed inflation rose in November in line with expectations. But persistent price pressures have also underscored concerns that progress toward the US central bank’s 2% target may be stalling.
Those concerns could prompt officials to rein in the number of rate cuts they anticipate in 2025 as they wait for more confirmation that inflation is on track to reach their goal. Policymakers will release new forecasts and rate projections at the conclusion of their Dec. 17-18 meeting in Washington.
“I think they can safely go ahead and do a 25-basis-point cut in December. The markets are prepared for that,” said Loretta Mester, a former president of the Cleveland Fed. “However, they’ve got to be rethinking about next year, because it does look now that the inflation progress has stalled out a bit.”
Just three months ago, the Fed kicked off its cutting cycle with an aggressive half-point move driven by growing worries that a cooling US labor market was nearing a dangerous tipping point. A cut next week would be the Fed’s third straight reduction and lower the federal funds rate to a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, a full percentage point below where it stood at the beginning of September.
That’s still well above the 2.9% median estimate submitted by policymakers in September for where they see rates ultimately settling. They’re just not in as much of a hurry to get there.
That’s because, since September, inflation has moved down more slowly than expected and the labor market hasn’t weakened as much as feared. Officials, including Chair Jerome Powell, have responded by signaling they’re prepared to take their time lowering borrowing costs.
If policymakers were to leave their projections from September unchanged, that would point to four more reductions in 2025, after a December reduction. But many analysts expect the 2025 number will drop because of growing worries over inflation’s stickiness, especially if the committee follows through with a rate cut next week.
“The doves who want the rate cut are going to pay for it with a higher path” in the forecasts, said Conrad DeQuadros, senior economic adviser at Brean Capital LLC. “We will get the cut, but the path going forward will be a much shallower path.”
Investors, based on pricing in fed funds futures, see a December cut followed by two to three additional cuts next year.
Julia Coronado, founder of MacroPolicy Perspectives and a former Fed economist, agreed that several officials could reduce the number of cuts they see in 2025.
“It makes sense that they should maybe have less easing in their baseline than in September,” said Coronado. “And then the question then becomes, ‘alright, but what about timing?’”
Stronger data
The November data released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed core consumer inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, rose by 0.3% for the fourth straight month. From a year ago, it rose 3.3%.
Shelter costs, a source of stubborn inflation, cooled from the previous month. But goods prices excluding food and energy, an area where costs had been falling, climbed 0.3%, the most since May 2023.
Traders reacted by ramping up to about 90% the probability they see of the Fed cutting rates next week, boosting those odds from around 80% prior to the inflation release.
“December looks nailed down now, and the Fed isn’t one of those central banks that likes to surprise the market,” said James Athey, a portfolio manager at Marlborough Investment Management.
Short-term US Treasuries intially rallied sharply before pairing those gains later in the day. Bond bulls had come into the week emboldened given Friday’s job data for November was mixed and made one more cut from the Fed this year seem more likely.
What Bloomberg Economics Says…
“November’s sturdy core CPI reading will inflame worries among the FOMC minority that disinflation has stalled. True, housing-rent inflation finally stepped down — as market rents have long suggested — but goods prices have lost disinflation momentum.”
— Anna Wong and Stuart Paul, economists
Stronger inflation data could also add to questions about whether the neutral rate — the level for borrowing costs that neither slows nor stimulates the economy — is now higher. If the neutral level is now more elevated, that would suggest that interest rates are not putting as much downward pressure on the economy as previously expected.
Officials do not want interest rates to be so restrictive that they cause damage to the labor market, but they also don’t want to cut so quickly that they risk moving below neutral and reigniting inflation.
“We can afford to be a little more cautious as we try to find neutral,” Powell said last week.