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In yesterday’s session, higher-than-expected inflation data for December in Japan (headline 4.0%; core 2.7%) and hawkish comments from some central bank officials were the main drivers in financial markets. In particular, ECB Isabel Schnabel reiterated that interest rates need to be risen significantly to tackle down inflation.

Central bank communication remained at the center stage yesterday, as Fed and ECB officials reiterated that monetary policy would need to be restrictive for a while. In the eurozone, GC member Klaas Knot, said the ECB should only decrease the pace of rate hikes once it sees underlying inflation abating, pointing to a 50bp hike in May.

Central bank communication continued to center the stage on Wednesday. The release of the minutes of the last Fed meeting showed that almost all FOMC members favored a 25bp rate hike, while just a few would have opted for keeping the 50bp pace. They noted that, despite remaining elevated, inflationary pressures had begun to moderate.

Investors continued to trade with caution on Tuesday, taking on board the upside surprise in February HICP inflation in both France (7.2% y/y) and Spain (6.1%) and dialing up its expectations for policy interest rates hikes (money markets price the depo rate could near 4% by year end). Today, the German HICP data is released.

Monetary policy decisions remained the key focus for investors on Thursday. The Bank of England and the Swiss National Bank raised rates by 25bp and 50bp to 4.25% and 1.5%, respectively, following the move by the Fed on Wednesday to hike rates by 25bp and to signal that there could be additional increases if financial turmoil recedes.

Yesterday’s Federal Reserve meeting resulted as a nonevent for financial markets as the 25bp rate increase to the 5.00%-5.25% target range was 100% priced in. Also, the removal of an explicit reference in the press release of further interest rate increases in the coming meetings was consistent with the expectation of a pause in the hiking cycle.

Another session with mixed results across financial markets. The key themes were signs that inflationary pressures are abating coupled with data suggesting an economic slowdown. In the UK, the BoE raised policy rates by 25 pb to 4.5%, in line with expectations, while signalling that additional rate hikes are likely.

In the first session of the week, investors traded cautiously ahead of today's key inflation data release in the US and the upcoming central bank meetings in the US (where we expect the Fed to pause its aggressive rate hike cycle) and the euro area (where the ECB will most likely hike rates by 0.25pp).

The minutes of the Fed's June meeting showed that the decision to hold interest rates steady in June was not unanimous, and that most officials expected further rate hikes would be necessary, as the dot plot had shown. Also yesterday, US factory orders data for May came in below expectations, but still showed growth.

The last stages of this cycle of monetary policy tightening centered the stage in yesterday’s session as the ECB hiked interest rates by 25bp (depo at 3.75% and refi at 4.25%). Nevertheless, Christine Lagarde said that this might not be the last hike and insisted that interest rates will remain high for a long period of time to break the back of inflation.

The Fed delivered a hawkish pause yesterday, leaving interest rates unchanged but acknowledging a strong US economy. The dot-plot projects a tighter policy through 2024 and 2025, consistent with rates higher for longer. US stock indices fell and US Treasury yields rose on the news, with the yield curve flattening, while the USD appreciated.

Yesterday investors traded cautiously as the threat of a possible US government shutdown by the end of the week and “high for longer” interest rates continue to lead the narrative. Investors were also at odds with Minneappolis Fed President Neel Kashkari’s dovish tone regarding interest rates path ahead.

In yesterday’s session, investors once more weighed the growing tensions in the Middle East and the future path of interest rates. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank would proceed carefully with rates, highlighting that the rise in yields in bond markets is helping to tighten financial conditions.

In yesterday's session, the FOMC decided to leave interest rates unchanged at the 5.25%-5.50% target range. Despite describing the economic outlook with similar words than in September and not ruling out an additional rate hike, markets lowered the probabilities of a further tightening in the monetary policy stance. 

In yesterday's session financial markets continued to digest the last US Federal Reserve monetary policy decision, where interest rates were held unchanged at the 5.25%-5.50% target range and President Jerome Powell hinted that we might already be at the peak of the hiking cycle, although new rate hikes were not definitely ruled out.

In Friday’s session, markets traded again with strong risk appetite as investors continued to price in the end of the central banks’ tightening cycle. US employment data showed signs of a cooling labor market, further fueling investors’ expectations of no further rate hikes. Markets are now pricing in a rate cut in June by the Fed and in April by the ECB.

In yesterday’s session, investors traded cautiously amid mixed comments from central bank officials regarding interest rates’ paths ahead. In the euro area, ECB Chief economist Phillip Lane said that not enough progress has been accomplished in bringing inflation back to 2% and some other members did not rule out an additional rate hike.