The global financial landscape has been buzzing with activity following the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, where the US Federal Reserve opted to keep benchmark interest rates steady within the 4.25 per cent to 4.5 per cent range, a decision that was broadly anticipated by markets.
This move, coupled with a significant reduction in the pace of quantitative tightening (QT)—slashing the monthly redemption of US Treasury securities from US$25 billion to US$5 billion—has injected a dose of optimism into US equities, propelling a rally that saw the MSCI US index climb by 1.1 per cent.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell, in his post-meeting press conference, struck a cautious yet steady tone, acknowledging the swirling uncertainties tied to President Donald Trump’s sweeping policy shifts while emphasising that the central bank is in no rush to tweak borrowing costs.
Powell’s message was clear: the Fed can afford to wait for the dust to settle on these policy changes before making any bold moves. This measured approach seemed to resonate with investors, who found comfort in the Fed’s updated projections and its handling of inflation and growth forecasts.
Diving into the numbers, the Fed’s dot plot—a key indicator of future rate expectations—held steady, signalling two rate cuts anticipated for the year, with no notable shift in dispersion among committee members. However, the Fed did adjust its economic outlook, trimming the median growth forecast for 2025 to 1.7 per cent from 2.1 per cent, a nod to potential headwinds, while nudging up the median inflation forecast to 2.8 per cent from 2.5 per cent.
Markets, however, latched onto Powell’s reassurance that the uptick in the core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) projection is confined to 2025 and likely transitory. This distinction quelled fears of entrenched inflation, allowing risk sentiment to advance.
The immediate market reaction was telling: equities surged by the end of Powell’s presser, US Treasuries flipped course with the 2-year yield dipping below 4 per cent and the 10-year yield shedding 4 basis points to 4.24 per cent, while the Dollar Index edged up 0.2 per cent. Gold, ever the barometer of economic unease, rose 0.4 per cent to a record US$3,048 per ounce, and Brent crude ticked up 0.3 per cent to US$71 per barrel. These movements paint a picture of a market buoyed by easier financial conditions yet still hedging against uncertainty.
Across the Pacific, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) mirrored the Fed’s steady hand, holding interest rates unchanged as expected. Governor Kazuo Ueda offered a cautiously optimistic take, noting that wage hike momentum remains on track—a critical factor for Japan’s long battle against deflation—but tempered this with concerns over US trade policies, a clear nod to the potential ripple effects of Trump’s agenda.
Similarly, Bank Indonesia followed suit, keeping its benchmark rates steady, aligning with market expectations. Asian equity indices, however, showed a mixed response in early trading, reflecting the region’s sensitivity to both US developments and local dynamics. Meanwhile, US equity index futures pointed to a higher open, suggesting that Wall Street’s rally might have legs yet.
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The cryptocurrency market, often a bellwether for risk appetite, didn’t miss the beat either. Bitcoin soared past US$86,800 on Wednesday, a nearly five per cent jump, fuelled by the Fed’s signals of looser financial conditions and growing investor bets on a liquidity-driven rally.
The Fed’s decision to slow the runoff of its US$6.8 trillion balance sheet—capping Treasury redemptions at US$5 billion per month—aims to avert disruptions in funding markets, especially as debt ceiling tensions loom large. This dovish tilt has weakened the US dollar, which posted its third-largest three-day drop since 2015, while Treasury yields and bond market volatility have tumbled.
In the crypto space, the ETH/BTC trading pair ticked up from 0.23 to 0.24, a sign that investors are leaning into riskier assets like Ether over Bitcoin’s relative safety. Ether’s rise, though lacking an immediate catalyst, comes as the Ethereum network gears up for its Pectra upgrade, a major update set to roll out over 20 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs). These include EIP-7702, enhancing smart account functionality, and EIP-7251, which boosts validator staking limits—moves that promise to improve scalability and user experience, potentially stoking further interest in Ether.
From my perspective, the Fed’s latest stance is a masterstroke of pragmatism. By holding rates steady and dialling back QT, Powell & Co. are threading the needle between supporting growth and keeping inflation in check, all while navigating the wild card of Trump’s policy shifts. The market’s upbeat response—equities popping, yields dropping, and risk assets like Bitcoin and Ether surging—suggests that investors are interpreting this as a green light for risk-taking, at least in the near term.
The Fed’s acknowledgment of slower growth and higher inflation in 2025, paired with its “transitory” caveat, strikes me as a calculated effort to manage expectations without spooking markets. It’s a delicate dance, and so far, the Fed seems to be leading with confidence.
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That said, the muted revisions to the dot plot—still pointing to two cuts—feel a tad optimistic given the uncertainties Powell himself flagged. If Trump’s policies (think tariffs, tax cuts, or deregulation) ignite inflation or disrupt trade, the Fed might find its hands tied, forced to choose between rate hikes that could choke growth or holding pat and risking credibility on inflation.
Globally, the BOJ’s steady stance feels like a missed opportunity. Japan’s economy could use a jolt, and with wage hikes gaining traction, a slight nudge on rates might have signalled more conviction in its reflationary push. Ueda’s caution about US trade policies is valid—Trump’s “America First” rhetoric could slam Japan’s export-driven economy—but it also underscores how interconnected these central bank decisions are.
Back in the US, the crypto rally is a fascinating subplot. Bitcoin’s surge past US$86,800 and Ether’s uptick reflect not just Fed-driven liquidity but a broader shift in investor psychology. The Pectra upgrade could be a game-changer for Ethereum, making it more competitive with newer blockchains, though its lack of an immediate trigger suggests this is more sentiment-driven than fundamentals-based for now.
In sum, the FOMC’s moves have lit a spark under global risk sentiment, with US equities, Treasuries, and cryptocurrencies all riding the wave of easier financial conditions.
The Fed’s cautious optimism, paired with its QT slowdown, has given markets room to breathe, even as it braces for the unknown of Trump’s policy fallout. Asia’s mixed response and the BOJ’s conservatism highlight the uneven global picture, but for now, the US is setting the tone.
Whether this rally has staying power will hinge on how those uncertainties play out—and whether the Fed’s wait-and-see approach holds up under pressure. For investors, it’s a moment to savor the upside while keeping an eye on the horizon.
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