BlackRock's Rick Rieder on why the Fed will cut rates in December

Monetary Policy & Interest Rates - The market is pricing in a potential interest rate cut in December, although some committee members prefer to wait for further data [1] - The speaker believes the Fed can and should cut rates, potentially quicker, but respects concerns about inflation [1][2] - Current inflation metrics show core PCE at approximately 250 basis points (25%) over six months, with other metrics closer to 300 basis points (30%) [2] - The speaker argues that current inflationary expectations do not prevent the Fed from acting, citing 5-year inflation break-evens at 250 basis points (25%) [3] - The interest rate tool is less effective on capital expenditure (capex) for large companies funded by free cash flow, but significantly impacts small businesses and low-income individuals [15][16] - Keeping interest rates 100 basis points (1%) higher than necessary costs the US government $100 billion per annum, given that 90% of US Treasury financing is in two-year instruments [16] - A rate cut could help the housing market by lowering mortgage rates, stimulating home building, and increasing labor mobility [12][13] Labor Market Dynamics - Significant labor displacement is expected in the next few years due to technology advancements, as evidenced by announcements from companies like Amazon and UPS [4] - Productivity is increasing across various sectors, including inventory management, logistics, and predictive maintenance, leading to lower costs and increased M&A activity [6] - Companies are generally comfortable with their current labor force, with some freezing hiring and others proactively reducing labor [8] - Recent data, excluding the non-cyclical healthcare sector, indicates negative job growth, which is expected to persist [9] Economic Outlook & Risks - The US economy and companies are generally in good shape, but the labor market is not as strong [10] - The amount of US debt is a tail risk, especially given that 89% to 90% is short-term (two years), requiring constant refinancing [18][19] - The speaker believes the US can deleverage the economy if nominal GDP remains above the cost of debt, targeting 5% nominal GDP growth [21] - Complacency and excessive risk-taking in the market are concerns, but the speaker does not see a bubble in public markets due to strong free cash flow generation by major companies [23][25][26] - The economy is bifurcated, with strong capex and high-income spending, but weaker low-income spending [24]