Gold

Although the Federal Reserve implemented its first interest rate hike approximately one year ago, market participants went through various stages of accepting the new Federal Reserve’s narrative as fact. Oddly there are similarities to the way market participants went through a process of steps before they were able to accept and incorporate the forward guidance of the Federal Reserve.

I know it is a little cliché to use a phrase most recognized from late-night ads hawking everything from pots to knives, to discuss the FOMC minutes released today, but the minutes continue to send the same message to the American public. The Federal Reserve will continue and implement “more” rate hikes until “inflation is clearly on a path towards 2%.”

The Federal Reserve first spoke about its forward guidance at last year’s Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. Specifically, it was Chairman Powell’s keynote speech that delivered the blow to the American public about its intent to raise rates and keep those elevated rates in place until the Fed hits its 2% inflation target.

Recent statements by the more hawkish faction of the Federal Reserve have raised genuine concerns that the current monetary policy to reduce inflation is about to undergo an unwelcome change. Multiple Federal Reserve officials have alluded to reinstating stronger rate hikes at their upcoming FOMC meetings.

Today the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the PPI index report for January 2023.