The FOMC cut the interest rate in the US on Wednesday with 25 basis points to 2 per cent, which was mostly anticipated by the market. This is the second reduction for the year and there are no indications for additional cuts by the end of 2019, which means that the FED is content with stopping at 50 basis points. However, the Committee has left the monetary policy meeting divided, as not every member was on board with reducing the interest rate at the present rate, given the current economic situation.
In the official policy statement of the FOMC, it was revealed that one of the biggest contributing factors for the Committee's ultimate decision, was the muted inflationary pressures that have been observed both nationally and also internationally for the better part of 2019. These expressed concerns regarding the deteriorating price stability in the country were in line with our projections from earlier this week when we argued that the shaken price stability remains the biggest obstacle for the FED.
“On a 12-month basis, overall inflation and inflation for items other than food and energy are running below 2 percent. […] In light of the implications of global developments for the economic outlook as well as muted inflation pressures, the Committee decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate to 1-3/4 to 2 percent.” [source]
Seven members of the FOMC voted in favour of the monetary policy action, including Chair J. Powell and Vice Chair J. Williams; one member supported a lesser reduction and two preferred to maintain the rate unchanged. The last proposition – no changes at the current rate – was also contended in our Weekly Expectations material from Monday, in which we attributed the FED members’ likely reluctance to change to the ongoing global uncertainties.
These diverging opinions of FOMC members could potentially have more potent consequences for future monetary policy deliberations, as the global economic uncertainty looks set to increase in the near term, mostly owing to the recent escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf and the ongoing trade war.
Meanwhile, the EURUSD pair remains trading in a narrow consolidation range, just below the upper boundary of the broader Accumulation stage. Bullish outlook is currently building up slowly and if the price manages to do a breakout above the major resistance level, then the market might gain enough commitment to develop a new Markup.