2:42 PM
The Fed's policy statement is almost identical to the statement issued following the August 8th FOMC meeting, but there were notable changes that make it clear that the Fed is not yet contemplating an interest rate cut and that it is far more interested in raising its inflation fighting credibility.
The most glaring change in the statement can be seen early on. The Fed dropped two of the three factors that in August it said had been moderating the pace of economic growth: interest rates and energy prices. The Fed cited only housing in discussing the economy continued moderation:
Todayâs statement:
âThe moderation in economic growth appears to be continuing, partly reflecting a cooling of the housing market.â
August 8th statement:
âEconomic growth has moderated from its quite strong pace earlier this year, partly reflecting a gradual cooling of the housing market and the lagged effects of increases in interest rates and energy prices.â
The removal of the reference to interest rates and energy costs as drags on economic growth is a backdoor way of saying that these areas have become more stimulant of late. Whether the Fed wants such stimulus is something that we will learn from the Fed in the weeks ahead. At the very least, the removal of interest rates and housing from the negative side of the ledger appear reduces the likelihood that the Fed will cut interest rates anytime soon in response to these factors. Moreover, with the reference to housing standing in isolation and given the general lack of desire within the Fed to alter policy for the sake of a single sector, those expecting an interest rate cut in response to the housing sectorâs weakness will have to wait for its impact to broaden much more than the Fed now perceives it to have.
The rest of the policy statement was as expected, with the Fed maintaining text identical to the August statement with the exception of an insertion of a statement indicating increased optimism about the inflation outlook owing to the recent decline in energy costs:
ââ¦inflation pressures seem likely to moderate over time, reflecting reduced impetus from energy prices, contained inflation expectations, and the cumulative effects of monetary policy actions and other factors restraining aggregate demand.â
Interesting was the second consecutive dissent from Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker, who once again wanted an immediate rate hike, mostly because, as he has detailed in recent public remarks, he would prefer to boost the Fedâs inflation-fighting credentials. This was not a major surprise in light of comments he made in-between FOMC meetings indicating that he would render the same vote at that time. Nevertheless, had he pulled his dissent there would have been increased chatter amongst bond bulls that support for interest rate hikes was diminishing.
Again, in sum I feel that the statement increases the height of the hurdle that the bond bulls must climb, chiefly because the Fed sees fewer headwinds to growth and because it wonât cut rates to help a single sector (housing) of the economy until or unless that sectorâs weakness broadens out