General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Fed's worst nightmare could be around the corner
The Federal Reserve faces pressure to cut interest rates from investors and President Donald Trump. But the recent, albeit brief, spike in oil prices following an attack on oil fields in Saudi Arabia earlier this month raises a problem with that rate-cutting strategy: Inflation.
The threat of stagflation a toxic combination of a slowing economy combined with rising prices could make Fed chair Jerome Powell's job much more difficult. Central bankers will need to pay even more attention to economic data points before making any further moves to cut rates.
"The Fed is like a base runner stuck between first and second base on a fly ball," said Matt Forester, chief investment officer of BNY Mellon's Lockwood Advisors. "It will need to be even more data dependent and reactionary. Higher oil prices would be a shock that is stagflationary."
Forrester noted that higher oil prices are "unwelcome news," because of concerns about the weakening economies of China and Europe.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/the-feds-worst-nightmare-could-be-around-the-corner/ar-AAI3E3u?li=BBnbfcN
Hmm, the last time we had stagflation was under Nixon who by the way was the last president before Trump who tried to pressure The Fed.
Wounded Bear
(58,648 posts)Prices are up, wages are flat for millions of Americans.
unblock
(52,205 posts)just as carter got the blame even though he brought in the cure (volcker and his major fed interest rate hikes) for the stagflation that nixon/ford started.
bluestarone
(16,919 posts)We are the fall guy all the time!
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)this A.M.,Saudi Arabia was put on Fitch's watch list do to Regional tensions. Sounds like Insurance for Oil shipments is sketchy at best for the Saudi's.
Appears the Saudi Royal's need the Aramco IPO in order to stay solvent.