大摩预判：5月开始美国通胀走高、美联储今年降不了息、美国财政没有大刺激

Core Insights - The U.S. economy is expected to experience a combination of rising inflation and slowing economic activity, leading the Federal Reserve to maintain interest rates in 2025 [1][5]. Group 1: Economic Outlook - Morgan Stanley predicts that inflation in the U.S. will rise significantly starting in May, with an annual inflation rate potentially reaching 3.0-3.5% by year-end [1][2]. - The recent easing of U.S.-China trade tensions has reduced the risk of a hard stop in trade flows, but the effective tariff rate remains high at 13%, compared to about 2% at the beginning of the year [2][5]. - The forecast indicates that inflation will precede a slowdown in economic activity, with core PCE inflation expected to rise month-over-month by 0.3% in May and 0.5% in June, July, and August [2][5]. Group 2: Federal Reserve Policy - Morgan Stanley maintains its outlook that the Federal Reserve will not lower interest rates in 2025, as inflation is expected to deviate more from the Fed's 2.0% target than employment levels will from maximum employment [5]. - The Fed may begin to cut rates in March 2026, driven by a slowdown in economic activity and reduced labor demand, which could increase the unemployment rate [5]. Group 3: Fiscal Policy - The recent budget proposal passed by the House of Representatives is projected to increase the deficit by $3.8 trillion over the next decade, with significant contributions from the extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) [6]. - The analysis suggests that the fiscal stance will remain largely unchanged, with potential for higher deficits if certain tax cuts are not allowed to expire as scheduled [6].