It looks like the Federal Reserve (Fed) will announce its latest monetary policy decision to a public with relatively calmer nerves compared to a few days ago.
The VIX index eased sharply from last week’s levels on bank relief, gold tanked to $1935 per ounce and indices on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean were comfortably higher on Tuesday.
The pressure on US treasuries eased, as well, and the US 2-year yield is now around the levels it was before Fed President Jerome Powell’s speech to the Senate which spurred the expectation of a 50bp hike for week’s meeting.
But, even though activity on Fed funds futures looks like it finally is pointing at a solid-ish consensus that the Fed should hike rates by 25bp today, no one really knows how much importance the Fed will assess to the latest banking stress, which, in reality, resulted in an uptick in Fed’s balance sheet due to additional liquidity, but which also tightened the financial conditions sharply.
The chances are that the Fed hikes by a final 25bp to stick to their promise to bring the US interest rates to around 5%. But we could certainly forget about a further advance to 5.5-6%.
For equities, a softer Fed and unexpected liquidity is supportive in the short run. For currencies, a dovish Fed would mean a further depreciation of the US dollar across the board. But all that is dependent on how hawkish/dovish the Fed will sound. And the truth is, a Fed decision has barely been this uncertain.
This report has been prepared by Swissquote Bank Ltd and is solely been published for informational purposes and is not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any currency or any other financial instrument. Views expressed in this report may be subject to change without prior notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by Swissquote Bank Ltd personnel at any given time. Swissquote Bank Ltd is under no obligation to update or keep current the information herein, the report should not be regarded by recipients as a substitute for the exercise of their own judgment.
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD struggles to hold above 1.0400 as mood sours
EUR/USD stays on the back foot and trades near 1.0400 following the earlier recovery attempt. In the absence of high-tier data releases, the cautious risk mood helps the US Dollar hold its ground and forces the pair to stretch lower.
GBP/USD declines below 1.2550 on renewed USD strength
GBP/USD loses its traction and trades below 1.2550 in the second half of the day on Monday. The US Dollar (USD) benefits from safe-haven flows and weighs on the pair as trading conditions remain thin heading into the Christmas holiday.
Gold drops to $2,620 area as US bond yields edge higher
Gold struggles to build on Friday's gains and trades modestly lower on the day near $2,620. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield edges slightly higher above 4.5%, making it difficult for XAU/USD to gather bullish momentum.
Bitcoin fails to recover as Metaplanet buys the dip
Bitcoin hovers around $95,000 on Monday after losing the progress made during Friday’s relief rally. The largest cryptocurrency hit a new all-time high at $108,353 on Tuesday but this was followed by a steep correction after the US Fed signaled fewer interest-rate cuts than previously anticipated for 2025.
Bank of England stays on hold, but a dovish front is building
Bank of England rates were maintained at 4.75% today, in line with expectations. However, the 6-3 vote split sent a moderately dovish signal to markets, prompting some dovish repricing and a weaker pound. We remain more dovish than market pricing for 2025.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.