透视美国经济形势，美联储前高级经济学家胡捷：高利率的抑制作用开始显现

Economic Overview - The U.S. economy is experiencing a slowdown, with various economic indicators showing a contraction trend compared to the previous two years [1][4] - The OECD has revised its GDP growth forecast for the U.S. in 2025 from 2.2% to 1.6%, and further down to 1.5% for 2026 [1] - The IMF has also lowered its 2025 growth expectation by 0.9 percentage points to 1.8% [1] Labor Market Analysis - In June, the U.S. added 147,000 non-farm jobs, exceeding the expected 110,000, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, better than the anticipated 4.3% [5] - Despite a seemingly stable labor market, there are signs of weakness, particularly in the private sector, where job growth is sluggish [5] - The labor market is under pressure from overall economic slowdown and structural adjustments within industries [5] Inflation and Tariff Impact - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.7% year-on-year in June, the highest level since February [1] - Tariff policies theoretically increase prices, but their actual impact is mitigated by falling global energy prices and limited implementation of tariffs [2][6] - Energy prices have decreased significantly, with crude oil dropping from around $80 per barrel to approximately $65, contributing to lower inflation [6] Monetary Policy Outlook - The Federal Reserve is expected to initiate interest rate cuts, with a probability exceeding 90% for the September meeting [8] - Current economic conditions, including declining inflation indicators and global economic slowdown, suggest that maintaining the current federal funds rate of 4.25%-4.5% is inappropriate [8] Currency Market Dynamics - The U.S. dollar index is under pressure due to expectations of Fed rate cuts and a slowdown in global trade growth [9] - The dollar's share in global foreign exchange reserves is close to 60%, and its role in global trade settlements is about 50%, indicating a significant impact from trade tensions [9] - Despite some supportive factors for the dollar, such as stable capital inflows, the prevailing negative factors are expected to dominate in the short term [9]