Problems being caused by Fed hiking: wider credit spreads, rising default risk, shrinking bond-market liquidity, and growing currency turmoil. Uh-Oh…..

via Bloomberg:

Excerpt:

Strategists are looking beyond the key issue of inflation for other potential market metrics that may cause the Federal Reserve to slow its aggressive cycle of interest-rate hikes. An ugly August reading for US consumer prices last week cemented bets on a third straight 75 basis-point move when the central bank hands down its next decision Wednesday. Setting aside a slowdown in inflation, other potential indicators that may cause policy makers to dial back their hawkishness include:

wider credit spreads
rising default risk
shrinking bond-market liquidity

Another threat that may prompt the Fed to slow the pace of tightening is shrinking Treasury liquidity. A Bloomberg index of liquidity for US sovereign is near its worst level since trading virtually seized up due to the onset of the pandemic in early 2020.

growing currency turmoil.

“If the euro fell out of bed, the Fed might not want that to get worse,” said John Vail, chief global strategist for Nikko Asset Management Co. in Tokyo. “It would be more a global financial stability concept rather than anything related to the dual mandate.”

 

by mark000

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