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FOMC followed through its promise and hiked rates four times in 2018 and forecasted two more rate hikes for 2019. Current Federal funds rate - 225-250 bps (Note, all calculations are based on data as of 29th July)
- July 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 21.9 percent probability that rates will be at 1.75-2.00 percent, and 78.1 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent.
- September 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 13.9 percent probability that rates will be at 1.50-1.75 percent, 57.6 percent probability that rates will be at 1.75-2.00 percent, and 28.5 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent.
- October 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 6.2 percent probability that rates will be at 1.25-1.50 percent, 33.5 percent probability that rates will be at 1.50-1.75 percent, 44.5percent probability that rates will be at 1.75-2.00 percent, and 15.7 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent.
- December 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 19.1 percent probability that rates will be at 1.25-1.50 percent, 37.7 percent probability that rates will be at 1.50-1.75 percent, 33.5 percent probability that rates will be at 1.75-2.00 percent, and 9.7 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent.
The probability is suggesting,
- Since our last review a week ago, the probabilities have eased on the back of strong data.
- The market is pricing the possibility of a rate cut with 100 percent probability in 2019, compared to 100 percent last week.
- The market is pricing a second rate cut with 90.3 percent probability, compared to 92.1 percent a week ago, and 89.6 percent in the week before that.
- The market is also pricing a third rate cut in 2019 with 56.6 percent probability, compared to 53.5 percent a week ago, and 49.4 percent in the week before that.
- The first-rate cut is priced for July 2019 with 100 percent probability. The second rate cut is priced in October with 84.3 percent probability.
