FOMC Minutes Instant Insight

In their January meeting, Fed officials agreed to continue rate hikes until high inflation is controlled.

The Fed is still attuned to the risk they may have to do more to keep inflation falling, a hawkish tilt that may come into more precise view when policymakers issue new interest rate and economic projections at a meeting in four weeks.

Economic data since the last meeting show the economy growing strongly and adding jobs at an unexpectedly rapid pace, but inflation remains well above the Committee’s longer-run goal of 2% and the labor market remains very tight.

The Federal Reserve released the minutes from its latest policy meeting on Wednesday, which revealed that a solid majority of Federal Reserve officials agreed to raise the target range of the federal funds rate 25 bp.

The Policy statement issued on Feb 1st said “ongoing increases” would still be needed, but shifted the focus from the pace of coming rate hikes to their “extent”.

The Fed officials are still attuned to the risk they may have to do more in order to keep inflation falling, a hawkish tilt that may come into more precise view when policymakers issue new interest rate and economic projections at a meeting in four weeks.

Markets saw a muted initial reaction to the minutes. The risk appetites fade slightly. Major indices are approaching their daily lows after yesterday’s big drops, while treasury yields are ticking up a couple of bps across the curve and the US Dollar index hits fresh weekly highs.

Moving forward, there is nothing in these FOMC minutes that should keep the central bank from raising interest rates “higher for longer” if US economic data continues to come in stronger than expected.