Core Viewpoint - The December FOMC meeting resulted in a 25 basis point rate cut to a target range of 3.5%-3.75%, aligning with market expectations, while the Fed's tone remained neutral to slightly hawkish [2][20] Group 1: Interest Rate Decisions - The Fed's decision to cut rates by 25 basis points was anticipated, with 3 out of 12 FOMC members opposing the cut, indicating internal dissent [20] - The dot plot indicates only one rate cut is expected next year, which is below market pricing of two cuts [3][12] - The Fed's economic outlook is described as "Goldilocks," with upward revisions to GDP growth forecasts for 2025-2028 and downward revisions to inflation forecasts for the same period [6][21] Group 2: Economic Projections - GDP growth forecasts for Q4 of 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028 are now projected at 1.7%, 2.3%, 2.0%, and 1.9% respectively, compared to previous estimates of 1.6%, 1.8%, 1.9%, and 1.8% [21] - Core PCE inflation forecasts for the same periods are adjusted to 3.0%, 2.5%, 2.1%, and 2.0%, down from 3.1%, 2.6%, 2.1%, and 2.0% [21] Group 3: Balance Sheet Management - The Fed is restarting "Reserve Management Purchases" (RMP) to maintain adequate reserve levels, with a purchase scale of $40 billion per month starting this December [14][35] - RMP is distinct from quantitative easing (QE), as it involves purchasing short-term Treasury securities to manage liquidity rather than a broad monetary policy shift [15][16] Group 4: Market Reactions - Following the FOMC meeting, the stock market saw gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising by 1.05%, and the S&P 500 increasing by 0.67% [38] - The dollar index fell by 0.6% to 97.24, while yields on 10-year and 2-year Treasury bonds decreased [38]