Group 1 - The Federal Reserve is under pressure to continue lowering interest rates due to weak employment data, with a potential third consecutive rate cut in December being discussed [1][2] - The ISM services PMI rose to 52.4 in October, indicating economic expansion and potentially alleviating pressure on the Fed to cut rates further [2] - The manufacturing PMI, however, declined to 48.7 in October, suggesting ongoing weakness in the manufacturing sector, which may counterbalance the positive signals from the services sector [3] Group 2 - The services sector, which is the largest part of the U.S. economy, showed resilience with improvements in business activity and new orders, potentially allowing the Fed more time to assess the economic situation [2] - Despite the positive services data, concerns remain regarding the manufacturing sector's performance, with several industries experiencing contraction [3] - The Fed's balancing act between stabilizing prices and achieving full employment continues to create uncertainty regarding future monetary policy decisions [1]

Core Viewpoint - Federal Reserve Governor Milan suggests a potential 25 basis point rate cut in December, but believes a 50 basis point cut is more justified if economic conditions remain unchanged [1][2] Group 1: Economic Outlook - Milan emphasizes that monetary policy should be based on future economic predictions rather than current inflation or employment data, as policy effects take 12 to 18 months to materialize [1] - He notes that the housing market is a more critical indicator of monetary policy effectiveness than stock market performance [1][2] Group 2: Inflation and Housing Impact - Current inflation levels are partially inflated by "estimated items," particularly housing costs, while core price growth is closer to the Fed's 2% target when volatile items are excluded [2] - Policymakers should not overly worry about temporary inflation spikes but focus on more representative price trends [2] Group 3: Upcoming Federal Reserve Meeting - The Federal Reserve's next rate decision meeting is scheduled for December, where officials will weigh the risks of price stability against full employment [2] - Despite inflation being above the 2% target for nearly five years, the labor market shows signs of cooling without a significant rise in unemployment [2]

Core Points - The Federal Reserve executed its second interest rate cut of the year, lowering the federal funds rate target range by 25 basis points to between 3.75% and 4% [1] - The Fed's statement highlighted a slowdown in U.S. job growth and a slight increase in the unemployment rate, while inflation has risen since the beginning of the year and remains at a high level [1] - The Fed aims to achieve full employment and a 2% inflation target over the long term, but faces increased uncertainty regarding the economic outlook [1] - Fed Chairman Powell indicated that there are short-term inflationary pressures and downside risks to employment, with significant disagreement within the committee regarding a potential rate cut in December [1] - The Fed announced the cessation of quantitative tightening (QT) and will end its balance sheet reduction plan after three and a half years, marking a key shift towards monetary easing [1] Market Reaction - Following Powell's remarks, U.S. stock markets initially experienced a sharp decline but later stabilized [3] - By the end of the trading day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 saw slight declines, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded a small gain and reached a new closing high [3] Balance Sheet Management - The Fed will stop reducing its $6.6 trillion balance sheet due to signs of tightening liquidity in the money market and declining bank reserves [2] - Starting December 1, the Fed will no longer allow up to $5 billion of U.S. Treasury securities to mature without reinvestment, opting instead to maintain government bond inventory stability through rollovers [2]

Core Viewpoint - The recent statements from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell have led to a significant shift in market expectations regarding future interest rate cuts, impacting gold prices negatively. Group 1: Gold Market Reaction - Spot gold prices experienced a brief rise to $4007.47 per ounce following the Federal Reserve's decision but subsequently fell to $3930.42 per ounce, a drop of $77 [1] - As of Thursday morning, gold prices further declined to $3916.32 per ounce [2] - The overall decline in gold prices was nearly 0.6% by the end of Wednesday, despite an intraday increase of up to 2% [1] Group 2: Federal Reserve's Interest Rate Decision - The Federal Reserve announced a 25 basis point cut in the federal funds rate, bringing it to a target range of 3.75%-4%, which was in line with market expectations [3] - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted 10-2 in favor of the rate cut and indicated the end of quantitative tightening by December 1 [3] - The statement highlighted concerns about the labor market and inflation, noting that economic activity is expanding at a moderate pace [3] Group 3: Powell's Hawkish Stance - Powell indicated significant internal disagreement within the FOMC regarding future rate cuts, stating that further cuts are not guaranteed [4] - Following Powell's comments, the implied probability of a 25 basis point cut in December dropped from 95% to 67.9%, a decrease of nearly 30 percentage points [4] - The divergence in opinions among Fed officials reflects ongoing tensions between stabilizing prices and achieving full employment [4][5] Group 4: Market Analysts' Perspectives - Analysts have noted that the market's reaction to Powell's comments is justified, as the reduction in rate cut expectations will likely strengthen the dollar and suppress gold prices [6] - The tension within the Fed regarding inflation and interest rates has led to a cooling of market expectations for December rate cuts [7]

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) has decided to lower the federal funds rate by 25 basis points, bringing the target range from 4.00%-4.25% to 3.75%-4.00%, marking the second rate cut of the year [1][2] Economic Conditions - The U.S. economy is expanding at a moderate pace, with employment growth slowing and a slight increase in the unemployment rate, although it remains low as of August [3] - Inflation has risen since the beginning of the year and remains at a high level, with the Fed aiming for full employment and a 2% inflation target over the long term [3][4] Employment Risks - There is an increasing risk of a downturn in employment, with signs of pressure on low-income households and a rise in layoff announcements, although these have not yet led to an increase in unemployment claims [3][4] Inflation Concerns - Higher tariffs are contributing to price increases in certain categories, leading to overall inflation rising, but these effects may be temporary [4] - The Fed is closely monitoring the potential for persistent inflation impacts, which could complicate monetary policy [4] Monetary Policy Adjustments - The Fed has decided to end its quantitative tightening (QT) program, concluding the reduction of its balance sheet on December 1, after three and a half years [2][4] - The decision to stop QT means that the principal from MBS redemptions will be reinvested in short-term U.S. Treasury securities [4] Internal Disagreements - There are notable divisions within the Fed regarding future rate actions, with some members advocating for a 50 basis point cut while others prefer to maintain current rates [5][6] - Powell indicated that the lack of data due to the government shutdown could lead to a more cautious approach in future decisions [6] Market Reactions - Following Powell's comments, market sentiment shifted, with the Dow Jones falling by 0.16% and the S&P 500 declining slightly, while the Nasdaq rose by 0.55%, reaching a new closing high [2][6] - Market expectations for a December rate cut are currently at 67.8%, with a 32.3% probability of maintaining current rates [6]

Core Points - The Federal Reserve has decided to end its quantitative tightening (QT) strategy, which involves reducing its balance sheet [1][2] - The conclusion of QT will take effect on December 1, with a commitment to support maximum employment and achieve a 2% inflation target [2] Summary by Sections - **Quantitative Tightening Details** - The Fed has been allowing assets to mature since June 2022, reversing the significant increase in its balance sheet during the COVID-19 pandemic [2] - Monthly, the Fed has permitted up to $5 billion in Treasuries and up to $35 billion in mortgage-backed securities to mature without reinvestment [2] - Over the recent months, the Fed has allowed more than $2 trillion in bonds to mature, effectively pulling money out of the financial system [2]

Group 1 - Recent inflation data has shown a softer-than-expected trend, leading to increased expectations for multiple interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in the near future [1][3][6] - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September rose less than economists forecasted, indicating that price pressures are moderating and supporting the case for rate cuts [7][6] - Economists believe that the Federal Reserve's efforts to bring inflation closer to the 2% target are making progress, providing the central bank with the necessary "breathing room" to adjust its policies [4][3] Group 2 - The upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting is anticipated to result in a cut to the benchmark Federal Funds Rate, with a near-100% probability of a quarter-point cut in December [2][6] - Analysts highlight the delicate balance the Fed must maintain between achieving full employment and price stability, especially as jobless claims and hiring data have softened [4][5] - There is a consensus that cutting rates too quickly could reignite inflation, while waiting too long may further weaken the labor market [8]

Core Viewpoint - The report from China Galaxy Securities indicates that monetary easing in the fourth quarter may exceed expectations due to signs of economic weakening in the third quarter and the onset of a new policy waiting period [1] Group 1: Economic Indicators - There are signs of weakening in the third quarter economic data, leading to a lack of consensus on interest rate cuts for the fourth quarter [1] - The challenges of low price levels and high real interest rates necessitate a potential reduction in rates [1] Group 2: Policy Measures - The government is expected to implement coordinated fiscal policies, with 500 billion yuan in policy financial tools accelerating deployment and around 1 trillion yuan in debt-related tools potentially being introduced in the fourth quarter [1] - The primary goals of monetary policy in the fourth quarter will focus on economic growth and full employment, suggesting that monetary easing may be more aggressive than anticipated [1] Group 3: Central Bank Actions - The central bank is likely to adopt a proactive approach to monetary easing, potentially implementing a 10-20 basis point interest rate cut to guide the Loan Prime Rate (LPR) downward, which would further reduce loan and deposit rates [1] - There is also a possibility of restarting government bond transactions as part of the monetary policy strategy [1]

Core Viewpoint - Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's upcoming speech is seen as a critical moment for adjusting expectations regarding future interest rate decisions, especially after the recent policy meeting revealed significant divisions among officials about the timing and extent of potential rate cuts [2][3] Summary by Sections Federal Reserve's Recent Actions - In the September meeting, the Federal Reserve lowered the interest rate by 25 basis points to a target range of 4.00%-4.25%, with only new board member Milan advocating for a 50 basis point cut [2] Diverging Opinions Among Officials - Officials are divided into two camps: one believes further rate cuts are necessary within the year, while the other thinks the current policy stance is sufficiently accommodative [2] Powell's Upcoming Speech - Powell's speech will provide insights on how the Federal Reserve plans to navigate policy without key economic data due to the government shutdown that began on October 1 [2] - The dual mandate of the Federal Reserve requires balancing "full employment" and "price stability," both of which are currently challenging due to signs of labor market cooling and persistent inflation above the 2% target [2] Market Reactions and Expectations - Market participants will closely analyze Powell's wording to gauge which aspect of the dual mandate he is more concerned about, which could influence expectations for future rate cuts [3] - Currently, there is a 97% probability that the Federal Reserve will cut rates again in the October meeting, according to the CME FedWatch Tool [3]

Core Viewpoint - Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr expressed concerns that further interest rate cuts could exacerbate inflation risks, indicating that the decision for a potential cut in October will be a "difficult choice" [1] Summary by Relevant Sections - **Monetary Policy Outlook** - Barr highlighted the need for caution regarding interest rate cuts, stating that the fear of increasing inflation is a significant reason for this caution [1] - He noted that if there were no concerns about the labor market, there would have been no need for a rate cut last month, indirectly confirming that the September rate cut decision was primarily based on a careful assessment of the employment market [1] - **Decision-Making Process** - The Federal Reserve must decide in October whether to adjust interest rates again, with Barr emphasizing that "taking very cautious actions is appropriate" [1] - He reiterated that the core mission of the Federal Reserve is to "balance various objectives," including price stability and full employment, which reflects the independence of the central bank [1]