Eye of the Hurricane? Calm in Markets Shouldn’t Last Long
2023.03.14 06:52
Some calm appears to have returned to financial markets in early trade in Europe this morning but how long will it last?
While everyone will be hoping that the turmoil that swept through markets since Friday is dealt with and behind us, I’m not sure anyone can say with any confidence that this is the case and investors will remain very sensitive to ongoing developments.
What’s more, we’ve seen a dramatic repricing of interest rate expectations, to the extent that markets now price peak rates to be here or near and rate cuts this year to be highly likely. In much the same way that I wasn’t convinced by pricing in the aftermath of Powell’s appearances, barring much greater fallout in the financial system, I struggle to see expectations remaining so dovish.
The timing of today’s inflation data is therefore all the more intriguing as, what was meant to be the dominant driver this week has fallen down the pecking order. But to what extent isn’t clear. And depending on the outcome, it could either compound expectations or create an even greater headache for the Fed which will already be questioning whether a pause this month may be the best course of action.
Some good news for the BoE
The was largely in line with what markets were expecting and didn’t really shift the dial in any significant way. The unemployment rate didn’t tick higher as expected, remaining at 3.7%, but hourly earnings did soften to 5.7% including bonuses – from an upwardly revised 6% – while excluding bonuses they fell a little further to 6.5%.
All told, I don’t think either aspect of the report will fuel or ease concerns at the Bank of England about inflation and the path for interest rates. Meanwhile, markets are still pricing in a 25 basis point hike over the next couple of meetings and the pound is only marginally softer than it was pre-release. Focus now shifts to the budget tomorrow and whether the Chancellor will use the new-found fiscal headroom or save it for later.
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