- The Fed is unlikely to announce any decisions on balance sheet run-off today;
- Rates still have to rise, with March the most likely date for lift-off, but the Fed can afford to wait for QT.
- Upside risk for December new home sales, after a run of undershoots compared to mortgage applications.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- The enthusiasm among some FOMC members for a rapid balance sheet runoff is misplaced.
- If the FOMC wants to tighten more aggressively, faster rate hikes are less risky and send a clearer signal.
- We think the runoff will begin in the fall, slowly; market conditions will not allow the Fed to move quickly.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- The preliminary Homebase data for December signal falling payrolls, even allowing for upward revisions.
- The Philly Fed index likely will follow the plunge in the Empire State, hit by the Omicron wave.
- Jobless claims likely rose for a third straight week, thanks to the seasonals, which will soon reverse.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- December's grim retail sales report likely will be fol- lowed by further weakness in January...
- Spending has been hit, temporarily, by a one-two punch from early holiday shopping, then Omicron.
- The Fed is dead set on starting to tighten soon, but the upcoming data should dampen Q2 expectations.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- December's grim retail sales report likely will be followed by further weakness in January...
- Spending has been hit, temporarily, by a one-two punch from early holiday shopping, then Omicron.
- The Fed is dead set on starting to tighten soon, but the upcoming data should dampen Q2 expectations.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- CPI inflation will peak in the next few months, but the speed of the coming downshift is unclear.
- China's PPI inflation is now falling and has further to go; the U.S. will follow soon.
- Seasonal adjustment issues likely pushed jobless claims up again last week, but the trend is falling.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- Upside risk to the December core CPI, mostly from vehicle prices, airline fares, and hotel room rates.
- Headline inflation likely rose above 7%, but this should be the peak.
- Small firms sentiment is yet to reflect the Omicron hit, or the weakening in the stock market.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- Covid cases look to be peaking, but ICU occupancy looks set for new pandemic highs.
- The situation will look much better a month from now, as cases drop and Paxlovid cuts hospitalizations.
- As Covid finally recedes, people will start to spend their accumulated savings.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- The relative softness in December payrolls is hard to explain, but the labor market is still tightening.
- Sub-4% unemployment is enough to convince most FOMC members than an early rate hike is needed.
- We expect the first hike in March, with an increasing chance of three further hikes this year.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- Our final December jobs forecast is 850K; we expect the initial print to be revised up up to about 1M.
- Forecasting payrolls during Covid is a nightmare, but the risk to the 424K December consensus is clear.
- We now expect the first Fed hike in March, with two further hikes later in the year, and a steeper curve.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- The Homebase small business jobs data point to December payrolls rising by 1M-plus...
- ADP's numbers today likely will be far short of this pace, but we see upside risk to the consensus.
- Supply chain pressures continue to ease; expect the key ISM readings to be at normal levels by the spring.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- Covid cases still rocketing, but they likely will peak over the next couple weeks.
- The economic hit will be smaller and briefer than during the Delta wave, but it will be visible nonetheless.
- The December ISM survey likely will show that supply-chain pressures are easing, gradually
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- Omicron cases likely will double over the holidays, but what matters is hospitalizations...
- ...A clear increase is inevitable, but pressure on hospi- tals will be less intense that in the January 2021 wave.
- Don't worry about November's soft core capex orders and new home sales numbers; noise not signal.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- Faster productivity growth means higher real neutral rates, but can the private sector cope?
- Households and firms are in good shape, with low debt service ratios and transformed balance sheets.
- Markets don't believe the Fed's dotplot, but it's more likely that the markets will have to move up.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
The U.K.'s exponential leap in Covid cases and plunge in services activity is coming to the U.S., soon.
We hope the Omicron wave will be brief, but it is cer- tain to be severe, at least in terms of cases.
The robust industrial recovery continues, with every chance of further increases in output in Q1.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
In one line: Strong starts more important than Philly dip.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
The Fed's tapering and rate hike plans assume only a modest hit from Omicron; we hope they're right.
Chair Powell emphasised the threat from rapid wage gains; all eyes on labor participation, and the Q4 ECI.
The abrupt slowing in core retail sales in November is no big deal; a correction was due after rapid gains.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
The Fed will announce faster tapering today, opening the door to a rate hike in the spring.
The dotplot likely will show two rate hikes in 2022, triggered by the run of upside inflation surprises.
Core retail sales likely undershot consensus in November, but the trend is still strong.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
Core PPI inflation has further to rise, but it should start to fall in January.
The details of the NFIB survey are more important than the headline index...
...Look out for strength in capex plans, and a modest rise in selling prices, lifted by gas prices.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
- Headline inflation is unlikely to rise much further, but the core rate still some way to climb.
- Faster rent inflation is now well-established, and upward pressure elsewhere is yet to peak.
- A steep drop inflation from next spring remains a good bet, but the Fed needs insurance.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist and Founder)U.S.
