谁将影响全球最重要的利率？贝森特“夺权”鲍威尔

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. Treasury's strategy to increase short-term bond issuance is significantly undermining the Federal Reserve's independence, effectively shifting monetary policy authority to the Treasury [1][2][16]. Group 1: Short-term Debt Issuance and Inflation - The Treasury's shift towards more short-term debt issuance is expected to stimulate risk asset prices further away from long-term fair value and structurally raise inflation levels [2][3]. - The increase in short-term Treasury issuance is likely to become a structural factor driving inflation, as Treasury bills (with maturities under one year) are more "monetary" compared to long-term bonds [3][6]. - Historical data indicates that changes in the proportion of Treasury bills in total outstanding debt often precede long-term inflation trends, suggesting a causal relationship rather than mere correlation [3][6]. Group 2: Market Liquidity and Short-term Bonds - The explosive growth of the repurchase market has amplified the impact of short-term debt, as improved clearing mechanisms and increased liquidity make repurchase transactions resemble money [9]. - The issuance strategy of short-term bonds has distinct effects on market liquidity; a high net bond issuance relative to the fiscal deficit often leads to market troubles, as seen in the 2022 bear market [10]. - Increased issuance of short-term Treasury bonds correlates positively with the growth of Federal Reserve reserves, particularly post-pandemic, while long-term bond issuance tends to have the opposite effect [10]. Group 3: Policy Dilemmas for the Federal Reserve - The combination of irrational asset price growth, high consumer inflation, and substantial short-term debt presents a challenging policy dilemma for the Federal Reserve [14][15]. - In an economy burdened with significant short-term debt, raising interest rates would almost immediately translate into fiscal tightening due to soaring government borrowing costs [15][16]. - Both the Federal Reserve and the Treasury will face immense pressure to ease policies to counteract these effects, ultimately benefiting inflation [16]. Group 4: Long-term Implications - The market's accustomed independence of monetary policy will be significantly compromised, especially before the next Federal Reserve chair takes office, who may lean towards a dovish stance [17]. - The transition towards a Treasury-dominated monetary policy will have profound long-term effects, including potential depreciation of the dollar and steeper yield curves, leading to higher long-term financing costs [17][18]. - The likelihood of reintroducing policy tools such as quantitative easing and yield curve control to artificially suppress long-term yields will increase, potentially marking a "victory" for the Treasury [18][19].