美联储，猛亏5600亿！

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Reserve reported an operational loss of $77.6 billion for the year 2024, marking its second consecutive year of significant losses, primarily due to aggressive interest rate hikes from 2022 to 2023 [1][3]. Financial Performance - The Federal Reserve's operational loss for 2024 is $77.6 billion (approximately 56 billion RMB), following a loss of $114.5 billion in 2023 [1][3]. - The losses are attributed to the Fed's economic support during the pandemic and subsequent rate hikes that raised the benchmark interest rate from near zero to a range of 5.25% to 5.5% [3]. - As of the end of 2024, the Fed holds $6.8 trillion in securities with an average yield of 2.6%, while paying an interest rate of 4.4% on $3.4 trillion in reserves [3]. Impact on Monetary Policy - The Fed's ability to return to profitability depends on the trajectory of interest rate cuts; if short-term rates remain above 4%, losses are expected to continue [7]. - Market expectations suggest a potential interest rate cut of 50 to 75 basis points within the year [7]. - The Fed's operational losses do not hinder its monetary policy implementation, as profitability is not its primary goal [5][4]. Future Outlook - The New York Fed predicts that the Fed will approach breakeven as time progresses, contingent on interest rates falling below the average yield of its securities [7]. - Fed officials, including Chicago Fed President Goolsbee, express optimism about potential rate cuts in the next 12 to 18 months if inflation progresses positively [7][8].