Tag Archives: Fed December meeting

Fed chair Jerome Powell still wants to “normalize” monetary policy in 2019.The Federal Reserve (Fed) raised the Fed funds target range (FFTR) by another 25 basis points (bps) on 19 December, as widely anticipated. The new FFTR range is 2.25-2.50%. This marked the fourth rate increase of 2018.There was no formal guidance about the next hike and clues were rather hazy. It seems like the Fed still wants to bring rates towards ‘neutral’ in 2019 (currently 2.75% based on the median Fed dot –...

The 13 December Fed decision – and Chair Yellen’s last press conference – was much as expected. The Fed hiked rates 25bps, bringing the interest rate on excess reserves to 1.5%. Meanwhile, Fed officials maintained their rate-hiking forecasts for next year: three rate increases, according to the ‘dot plot’. A salient take -away from the meeting was the Fed’s relative caution about Congress’s tax-cutting plan. Even...

The Fed hiked rates 25bps at its 13 December meeting, as widely expected. We are keeping our scenario unchanged and we expect two rate hikes next year.The 13 December Fed decision – and Chair Yellen’s last press conference – was much as expected. The Fed hiked rates 25bps, bringing the interest rate on excess reserves to 1.5%. Meanwhile, Fed officials maintained their rate-hiking forecasts for next year: three rate increases, according to the ‘dot plot’.Chair Janet Yellen was cautious about...