MH+ Ep.40 Bullish on a Soft Landing (guest: Joseph Wang)
Jun 18, 2024
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Expert 'The FED Guy' Joseph Wang discusses Fed policy, inflation, European election impact on markets & currencies. Topics include Fed's focus on employment over inflation, probability of soft vs hard landing in economy, navigating right tail risk in financial markets, potential monetary policy shift in Japan impacting the yen.
Erroneous rate cycle predictions revised after unexpected inflation persistence.
Political shifts in France and the US may overshadow central bank policies.
Deep dives
Participants' Misjudgment on the Rate Cycle
Participants made erroneous predictions regarding the rate cycle, originally speculating up to seven cuts but significantly reducing expectations after positive inflation data emerged. Despite believing in transitory inflation, unexpected increased inflationary persistence shifted these projections, aligning more closely with the Fed's guidance.
Labor Market Softening and Potential Unemployment Impacts
With the labor force expanding due to significant migration, the softening labor market suggests a potential rise in unemployment rates, surpassing initial projections. Factors like job openings decrease and qualitative PMI data point to weakening conditions, leading to expectations of higher unemployment rates, potentially prompting more rate cuts beyond current market estimations.
Potential Impact of Fiscal Spending on Inflation and Asset Markets
Significant fiscal spending, viewed as a form of currency depreciation, introduces inflationary pressures, possibly stabilizing around 3%. This influx of cash flow into the economy, benefiting the wealthy, fuels asset market growth, particularly in equities and real estate. While the bond market may suffer, various policy tools can mitigate adverse impacts, ensuring market stability.
Impact of Political Changes on Market Dynamics
Political shifts in various regions like France and the US pose significant implications for market conditions, potentially overshadowing central bank policies. Policy visions for increased fiscal spending or interventionist measures could lead to inflation and growth dynamics affecting asset markets. These political uncertainties may not be fully priced into the markets, indicating potential risk factors going forward.
On this weeks Huddle +, Patrick welcomes back to the show, ’The FED Guy’ Jospeh Wang. They discuss, FED policy, Inflation, the European election impact on the market & currencies.