熊园：美联储主席换届——流程、人选、影响

Core Conclusion - The current Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's term will end on May 15, 2026, and the next chairman is likely to be chosen from three candidates: Waller, Hassett, and Walsh, all of whom hold dovish views. The market currently sees Waller as the most probable candidate [1]. Group 1: Appointment Rules - The Federal Reserve Chairman serves a 4-year term and can be reappointed indefinitely, while the term for a Federal Reserve Board member is 14 years, with no possibility of reappointment. The President nominates the chairman, who must be confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate [2]. - Powell's term as chairman ends in May 2026, but he can continue to serve as a board member until January 31, 2028, if he does not seek reappointment [2]. Group 2: Candidates and Their Policy Stances - The three candidates for the next Federal Reserve Chairman are Waller (current Fed board member), Hassett (current NEC director), and Walsh (former Fed board member). All three are considered dovish and advocate for immediate interest rate cuts [5]. - Waller emphasizes the importance of Fed independence, while Hassett and Walsh show some flexibility regarding this independence, with Walsh suggesting that Fed policy should align with fiscal policy [5][7]. Group 3: Timing of Trump's Nomination - Historically, Trump is expected to nominate the next chairman around February 2026, but given his dissatisfaction with Powell, an earlier nomination is possible to diminish Powell's influence [8]. Group 4: Likelihood of Candidates - As of September 7, Waller has a 36% probability of being nominated, followed by Hassett at 26% and Walsh at 16%. Waller's probability has remained stable over the past month [9][11]. - A survey indicated that professional investors believe Waller and Walsh are more qualified than Hassett, who lacks extensive experience in financial institutions [14]. Group 5: Historical Impact on Asset Classes - Historical data shows that in the three months prior to a new chairman's nomination, U.S. stocks generally perform poorly, while the performance of U.S. Treasury yields is inconsistent, and the dollar index tends to weaken [15]. - After the nomination, U.S. stocks typically see a significant improvement, with Treasury yields rising, although the dollar and gold prices may vary depending on the new chairman's policy stance [15].