Last week, the Fed went from expecting another 25-basis point hike to now expecting 75-basis point cuts in 2024, and the chart below quantifies the impact of this 100-basis point pivot on the economy. At the same time, the market now expects 150 basis points in Fed cuts in 2024, and 10-year interest rates have declined by 100 basis points since they peaked at 5% in October.
The Fed pivot combined with a one standard deviation decline in VIX, a 60-basis point tightening in IG spreads since March, and a $20 decrease in oil prices since September will boost GDP growth by 1.5% over the coming quarters, see chart below.
The CBO estimates that potential growth in the US is 2%, so a 1.5% boost to GDP is significant. Stronger GDP growth will boost demand for housing, labor, airlines, hotels, restaurants, and goods, which ultimately will put renewed upward pressure on inflation.
The conclusion for markets is that the Fed pivot last week complicates the Fed’s goal of getting inflation back to 2%, and as we enter 2024, the pendulum will soon swing back from a dovish Fed to a more hawkish Fed.
Source: Bloomberg SHOK, Apollo Chief Economist. Note: $20 oil price decline, 60bps tighter IG spreads, 1std decline in VIX, and 100bps lower rates via changed Fed forward guidance.
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