.@SteveForbesCEO explains that Trump can take on the Federal Reserve in its intransigent refusal to cut rates: have the Treasury issue bonds in gold, which would provide a simple, everyday metric as to whether Washington is undermining the dollar's integrity. #WhatsAhead https://t.co/DouaGSkxYk ...

The ECB should lower interest rates further if economic expansion falls short of forecasts and drags down inflation excessively, according to Governing Council member Fabio Panetta https://t.co/9bjWBXWDqV ...

Market Sentiment & Dollar Positioning - Market participants currently hold a long-term bearish dollar position [2] - Implied volatility measures are extremely low, suggesting markets are not pricing in a sharp dollar bounce [3] - Dollar could behave as a haven asset again under certain conditions, potentially lifting its value [2] Federal Reserve & Interest Rates - The market is still priced to take us this year, September, and then another one and add a little bit [6] - The possibility of the Fed meeting this month is pretty remote [5] - The Fed might cut interest rates later in the year, potentially dragging on the US currency [3] - The Fed is perceived as committed to lower interest rates, despite inflationary and tariff risks [8] Inflation & Tariffs - It might take a whole year for the tariff pass through into prices [4] - Uncertainty remains regarding the final future tariffs and their impact on CPI data [5] - There's a possibility of cost-sharing between US vendors and global suppliers to limit tariff pass-through to consumers [4] Bond Market - The MOVE index (implied volatility in the bond market) is at its lowest since 2022, indicating no panic about immediate Fed actions [8] - Supply dynamics at the back end of the yield curve warrant attention [9]

RT Mel Mattison (@MelMattison1)MMT 101: You finance the gov't at ultra-low short-term rates. This keeps interest expense as % of GDP in check even as overall debt levels rise. Other reasons: HELOCs tied to SOFR, wants to unlock $12T+ in home equity to juice economy. Corporates can issue floaters, also tied to short-term rates. I could go on. But feel it somewhat pointless as all people want to do is claim some sort of intellectual superiority to DJT rather than see the driving force behind his motivations. ...

Trade and Tariffs - The Trump administration is issuing tariff demand letters, totaling 22 letters so far, to ignite negotiations with some nations and political standoffs with others [1] - Brazil was hit with a 50% tariff, leading to political tensions as the Brazilian president views it as a political message [1][15] - The market is uncertain about tariffs, with only a handful of deals signed and details obscured; many countries are under pressure to deliver concessions to the U S by August 1 to avoid higher tariffs [1] - The U S has already collected billions of dollars in tariffs, estimated to reach around $300 billion by the end of the year, which is a little over 1% of the U S economy [41] - The market does not fully believe President Trump's statements about tariffs, and uncertainty around trade policy remains high [11][12] - The negative effects of tariffs may not be as bad as initially priced into the market, but the top-line benefits promised may not materialize [5][13] - The most important trade deal for the White House to present is with Europe, given its status as the largest investor in the U S and the complexity of needing approval from 20 different countries [21][22] Market and Economic Impact - Tech stocks, industrial stocks, and NASDAQ are at record highs, with NVIDIA up 40% since Trump tariffs [2] - The S&P 500 closed at a record high, while industrial stocks were less than 1% from achieving a record high [4] - Market gains are primarily driven by big tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and NVIDIA [6][7] - Smaller companies in the Russell 2000 and S&P 500 mid-caps are struggling and not near record highs, indicating a lack of broadening in the rally [8] - Imports to the U S represent roughly 13%-14% of GDP, with only a small portion covered by tariffs so far, making the impact visible but not necessarily prominent [15] - The uncertainty surrounding tariffs is making the Federal Reserve wary of cutting rates too quickly [17] Geopolitics and Policy - Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Russian counterpart to express disappointment with Vladimir Putin over attacks on Ukraine [1][23] - American-made weapons have resumed shipments to Ukraine, including artillery shells and mobile rocket artillery missiles [29] - The U S has not given Ukraine any U S F-16s but has okayed allies to do so [34] - The Justice Department has opened criminal investigations into former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan [23] - A federal judge in New Hampshire blocked President Trump's effort to limit automatic birthright citizenship, reinstating protections that were paused last month [71] Agriculture - For American farmers, President Trump's tariff policy is a mixed bag [50] - Corn prices are under $4, and soybean prices are under $10, reflecting a market with a surplus and a lack of demand [51] - China did not meet the goals and requirements of the Phase One agreement during the first Trump administration [51] - The U S agriculture relies on several hundred thousand farmworkers, primarily in specialty crop and dairy areas [54] - Changes to the SNAP program could reduce farm income, as $020 of every food dollar spent at a grocery store ultimately ends up with a farmer [63]

Peru kept interest rates unchanged as its economy comes under threat from Donald Trump’s plan for a 50% copper tariff https://t.co/w9m3o3gMKc ...

Market & Policy Landscape - Markets favor certainty, and with the budget resolved and some tariff issues addressed, the environment is becoming clearer [3][4] - The venture market is showing signs of renewed liquidity after four years of stagnation, driven by a more friendly FTC, encouraging IPOs and M&A [5] - Tech regulation primarily occurs at the state level, often overlooked in favor of federal politics [9] Crypto & Digital Assets - The market momentum of crypto makes it difficult to assess using traditional logic [11] - The acceptance of crypto by the federal government, including banks' involvement in stablecoins, raises questions about future growth potential [12] - Proactive positive movements by the SEC and the White House on crypto suggest further bullish potential [13] Regulatory Environment & Industry-Specific Issues - Deregulation by the Trump administration could resolve regulatory issues, contrasting with the hands-off approach of the Biden administration [8] - The Genius Act, a stable coin act, has passed the Senate but awaits House approval, with the market potentially pricing it in [6] - Autonomous trucking faces regulatory hurdles, with the US DOT yet to issue sensible interstate regulations [8]

Interest Rate Policy - Federal Reserve (FED) Board Member Waller suggests the possibility of considering interest rate cuts this month [1] Market Sentiment - The market expresses strong positive sentiment towards potential interest rate cuts [1]

Student Loan Repayment - Approximately 8 million student loan borrowers will see interest charges resume starting August 1st [1] - The Department of Education indicates interest accrual will restart for borrowers [1] - This resumption occurs under the SAVE plan, following a period of payment suspension [1]

Monetary Policy - Egypt's central bank decided to hold interest rates steady, pausing a period of monetary easing [1] - The decision reflects concerns about regional tensions and the impact of President Trump's tariffs [1] - These concerns outweighed the influence of slowing inflation on monetary policy [1]