The Fed hikes interest rates, sending economy teetering toward a recession?
If everyone was an opinionated virologist in 2020, then 2022 turned us all into macro-economists. In an effort to fight historic inflation, the Fed raised its benchmark interest rate seven times this year, pushing it to a 15-year high. Chair Jerome Powell's hawkish turn slowed the economy and was a major catalyst for the brutal sell-off in stocks, particularly in the tech sector. This year, Amazon became the first public company to lose $1 trillion in market value.
The U.S. housing market is experiencing its second-biggest home price correction of the post-World War II era. Macro Trends Advisors founding partner Mitch Roschelle attributed the massive correction to Americans' uncertainty for the markets and their "uneasiness" regarding the economy. He explained on "Varney & Co." that the "shoe to drop" would be if the nation starts to see a rise in unemployment, which could cause a "leg down" in the housing market.
Finis?
So what's ahead for 2023? According to MorningBrew, Economists think that a recession is likely, but a few are holding out hope that the Fed can achieve a so-called "soft landing," where it brings inflation down to normal levels without causing the economy to shrink. Recent months have brought cautiously hopeful news: Annual inflation has cooled from a peak of 9.1% to 7.1%, so rate hikes are expected to be much less aggressive next year.
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