empty
01.05.2023 11:38 AM
Fed meeting in focus

This image is no longer relevant

Chairman Jerome Powell has achieved a near-perfect consensus as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates aggressively. Now this agreement is going to be much tougher to maintain as the rate-hiking campaign is coming to an end.

In light of inflation that hit 9% last year, Powell's colleagues were fully committed to curbing price pressures. This Wednesday, the regulator is expected to deliver another 25 basis point rate increase, which might be the final one. However, this consensus is already showing signs of splintering amid inflation that remains too high, while Fed officials and many private economists anticipate a recession in the coming months.

As the coronavirus pandemic threatened the US economy in early 2020, Powell received over 98% of the Federal Open Market Committee's votes in favor of his actions, first to stimulate growth during the recession and then to fight inflation in the past year. Growing dissent is more likely as the choice between combating inflation or much higher unemployment becomes increasingly worrisome.

The EUR/USD pair is trading at one-year highs ahead of the news:

This image is no longer relevant

Federal Reserve officials have signaled that the FOMC will deliver another quarter-point rate hike at its May 2-3 meeting to a range of 5% to 5.25%, the highest since 2007 and part of the most aggressive tightening campaign since Paul Volcker faced double-digit inflation four decades ago.

The economy is also being weighed down by tighter credit following the bankruptcy of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. According to economists surveyed by Bloomberg, this is equivalent to another half-point or more increase in the Fed's target rate. This in turn could lead to tighter credit conditions, especially for commercial real estate, where significant losses are expected.

Another major uncertainty is the looming US debt ceiling.

Given that Fed officials and two-thirds of economists predict a recession, FOMC voters are uncomfortable deciding whether to continue fighting inflation or try to soften a slowing economy.

This image is no longer relevant

The Fed's March forecasts show that seven out of 18 FOMC participants advocated for at least one more rate hike beyond the extended move to 5-5.25%, with one official expecting rates at 6%. The divisions for the next year are even greater, with over 2 percentage points of difference between the top and bottom rate forecasts.

Fed hawks

Among the hawks, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, who does not vote this year, has called on its colleagues to lift rates to the 5.5-5.75% range, stating that the economy is resilient and banking problems will not be too costly. Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari, a voter, and Fed Governor Christopher Waller partly shared this view.

Fed doves

Among the doves, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, a voter, called for "prudence and patience" when assessing the impact of the banking stress on the economy, while Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Patrick Harker, another voter, warned that the Fed's aggressive steps could lead to severe consequences.

This image is no longer relevant

According to Jerome Powell, the Fed will not loosen prematurely and will not stop fighting inflation until the regulator is confident that the rate is back to the central bank's 2% target level, even with some rise in unemployment. He said the path could be bumpy, which could reinforce hawkish views that more hikes are needed.

"It is a difficult decision point for the Fed" as it weighs whether it's done too little or too much, former Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Eric Rosengren noted during EconoFact round-table discussions at Tufts University last week. "If the unemployment rate were to go up too quickly, that would be more challenging."

Andrey Shevchenko,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Summary
Urgency
Analytic
Andrey Shevchenko
Start trade
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

The Fed Will Maintain Its Wait-and-See Approach

The Federal Reserve is widely expected to leave its current monetary policy settings unchanged at today's meeting. As a result, there is little intrigue surrounding the decision. No updates

Chin Zhao 21:09 2025-07-30 UTC+2

USD/CAD. Analysis and Forecast

On Wednesday, the USD/CAD pair enters a phase of bullish consolidation, fluctuating just below the five-week high reached the day before. Traders are holding off on aggressive positions ahead

Irina Yanina 12:49 2025-07-30 UTC+2

USD/JPY. Analysis and Forecast

During the Asian session today, the Japanese yen strengthened against the weakening U.S. dollar. However, the yen's upward potential is likely to remain limited, as traders may hold

Irina Yanina 12:23 2025-07-30 UTC+2

Trump's Trade Deals Lack Sufficient Detail

It's clear that the Federal Reserve's hesitation to cut interest rates due to inflation risks at home is partly justified by the lack of substantive details in the trade agreements

Jakub Novak 11:35 2025-07-30 UTC+2

Why Are Markets Riding a Wave of Optimism? (There is a likelihood of rising oil prices and declining gold prices)

Recent events—including victorious declarations from Washington about agreements on customs tariffs with Japan and the EU—continue to support demand for risk assets. At least for now, investors are not concerned

Pati Gani 10:16 2025-07-30 UTC+2

The Fed Unlikely to Send Clear Signals

While the euro and British pound show modest gains against the U.S. dollar, investors hoping for Jerome Powell to hint that the Federal Reserve is moving closer to a rate

Jakub Novak 09:54 2025-07-30 UTC+2

The Market Welcomes the Truce

The final word in the U.S.–China trade negotiations is expected from Donald Trump. Until that happens, the S&P 500 has decided to take a step back—especially with key U.S. data

Marek Petkovich 09:05 2025-07-30 UTC+2

What to Pay Attention to on July 30? A Breakdown of Fundamental Events for Beginners

A considerable number of macroeconomic reports are scheduled for Wednesday. Germany, the Eurozone, and the United States will all release Q2 GDP reports. It is worth noting that while

Paolo Greco 07:07 2025-07-30 UTC+2

GBP/USD Overview – July 30: The Pound Keeps Falling "in Sympathy"

The GBP/USD currency pair continued its decline on Monday and extended the move into Tuesday. It's worth noting that the British pound began falling earlier than the euro, already last

Paolo Greco 03:48 2025-07-30 UTC+2

EUR/USD Overview – July 30: Beating the Fallen

The EUR/USD currency pair continued its downward movement on Tuesday, driven by the same factors as on Monday—as we warned in advance. On Monday, it was revealed that the European

Paolo Greco 03:48 2025-07-30 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.