Bullet Points: Hot off the FOMC Meeting

By Mark O’Brien, Senior Broker

Financials: for the third time in as many Federal Open Market Committee meetings, the twelve voting members unanimously approved a 0.75% rate increase for the benchmark federal funds rate – the overnight rate on lending between banks. With this the fifth consecutive rate increase from near 0% in March and the steepest rise since the 1980’s, not since 2008 has the fed. funds rate been set to this level. With two more FOMC meetings scheduled for the remainder of the year, the full 19-member committee signaled fed. funds are projected to continue their upward trajectory with 4.25% to 4.50% the expected target by year’s end.

The Federal Reserve also announced a program of reducing stimulus by shrinking its $8.8 trillion asset portfolio through attrition. As debt securities mature – to the tune of ±$95 billion a month – the Fed reduces its holdings by up to $95 billion a month.

Of course, all this is the Federal Reserve’s effort to quell inflation, the annual forecast of which officials revised up for the third time to 4.5% (core rate). “Inflation is running too hot. You don’t need to know much more than that,” said FOMC chairman Jerome Powell in his post-announcement news conference.

As always, plan your trade and trade your plan. Please contact your broker or Cannon Trading with any questions.