FED

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The Fed tightens and then is surprised with the outcome!

SAO PAULO | By Marcus Nunes via Historinhas | For the last 16 months the Fed has been on “tightening mode”. This is very clearly reflected in the chart for inflation expectations above. When Bernanke started the “taper talk” in May 13 inflation expectations came down and stayed down. Following the June 14 FOMC meeting, dedicated to discussions of “policy normalization” inflation expectations dived! How can they be surprised with the consequences.


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Steady progress toward US full employment

LONDON | By Rajiv Setia and Anshul Pradhan at Barclays | Developed rates markets rallied globally over the past week, led by the long end, largely in response to the across-the-board underperformance of risk-assets. Figure 1 shows changes in ED-implied rates on the day of the September FOMC meeting, as well as the change from pre-FOMC levels to now. 


Germany and the euro

Euro’s depreciation gives Draghi a respite

MADRID | By Francisco López | The ECB’s measures since June have been oriented to fight the ghost of deflation, increasing the Eurozone’s economic activity and, in an indirect manner, managing the euro’s depreciation. For the moment Mr Draghi has failed in the first two goals, although he has succeeded in the third one. The euro is plummeting –which is good news.


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US economy likely to stay buoyant despite corrections

Guest post by Jean-Sylvain Perrig, UPB Chief Investment Officer | The US economy is back on track. Its second-quarter bounce was sharper than previously thought and it is expected to stay on a reasonably good path of 3% in the coming quarters, thanks notably to a rebound in capex, a falling unemployment rate and a sharp improvement in the real estate sector. That will further boost consumer confidence, which has already reached its highest level in seven years.


coffee with beans

Morning coffee: Fed decisions, UK jobs report and much more

MADRID | The Corner | What you need to be watching today: FOMC’s decisions, UK’s unemployment rate data, Eurozone and US CPIs. Also, ECB’s Mersch will speak in Hamburg.  European equity-index futures climbed buoyed by the important confirmation (269 votes in favour/ 244 against) of French PM Manuel Valls at the Parliament (Aa1 n, AA, and AA + e), only one month after he submitted the 2015 budget for the country and despite various rumours about a possible downgrade to Aa1 n by Moody’s this Friday.


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Morning coffee: Germany’s ZEW, UK inflation, and much more

MADRID | The Corner | Don’t expect big changes in stock markets’ behaviour today: everyone is waiting for the main events of the week, that is, any move from the US Federal Reserve (FOMC meeting ends on Wednesday) and the Scotland referendum on Thursday. Just note that Germany is releasing ZEW index today, which gauges big investors and analysts’ confidence in the EU’s main economy. In the UK we’ll have consumer prices for August.

 


crowded elevator

Elevator QE

SAO PAULO | Marcus Nune’s Historinhas- Guest Post by Benjamin Cole | If you ever farted loudly on a crowded elevator, then you know the reaction of most economists to the idea that national debts should be monetized through central bank quantitative easing (QE), aka “printing money.”


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G4 central banks expanded their balance sheets by $4Tr in 4 years

MADRID | The Corner | The size of the ECB’s private asset purchase plan is an enigma. According Mr Draghi, the central lender aims to bring its balance sheet to 2012 levels, that is,  from the current €2Tr to €3Tr (March 2012). Some analysts believe he went too far in Jackson Hole and the expansion shall not exceed €450bn (see chart above). Meanwhile, the G4 central lenders have increased their balance sheets in $4Tr since 2010- Only the BoJ continues to expand it at a rate of $650bn/year. And even if the Fed starts unwinding its stimulus program in October, if we add about €450bn annual from the ECB would liquidity would be increased by €1Tr.


bonds and equities

Do equities and bonds live on different planets?

MADRID | The Corner | While bonds are considering a world without growth nor inflation, equities seem much more optimistic. On their Monday comment, JPMorgan analysts point out that, on a global level, monetary policies are still increasingly more expansionary in aggregate form.

 


draghi yellen

Draghi steals the limelight in Jackson Hole

MADRID | By  J.P. Marín Arrese | Draghi’s performance in Jackson Hole has largely overshadowed other central bankers. Undoubtedly he surpasses himself in summertime. Just remember his landmark defence of the Euro back in August, 2012.