Despite the hawkish stance of the Federal Reserve, the dollar has not taken a turn for the better. This is a big concern for many forex traders. Traders need to be aware of the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting and how the Fed can impact the US economy and currency. The Fed is the central bank of the United States and is responsible for guiding U.S. interest rates and other financial policies. The FOMC is comprised of seven board governors. Each provides a viewpoint on the economic outlook and the latest economic data.
What’s About The Next Fed Meeting?
The committee meets every six weeks to discuss monetary policy and the US economy. The decisions made are influenced by inflation, employment growth, and household spending. Typically, the most important decision is announced at a special press conference. Forward guidance is a set of actions that the Fed will take to achieve its goals. The FOMC is also responsible for providing guidance on future Fed decisions. The FOMC’s “forward guidance” outlines the types of decisions the Fed will likely make in the near and long term. “Inflation hawks” are willing to sacrifice economic growth in order to keep inflation in check. Among other things, they’re willing to take a hit to employment in order to tame the price of goods and services. Having a strong dollar is important because it allows the United States to borrow money cheaply. However, a strong dollar can also slow exports and hurt the economy.
This is because the dollar is the world’s leading reserve currency, and the global demand for dollars is high. This can cause trade deficits and lost jobs. The recent next fed meeting raised the federal funds rate by 75 basis points. The change in the federal funds rate will affect the short-term and long-term interest rates. The impact will also be felt by the global economy.
FOMC Meetings Affect The US Dollar
Traders pay close attention to FOMC meetings because of their effect on the US dollar. The dollar is considered the world’s reserve currency. This makes the Fed’s decision on interest rates and reserve requirements important to the global economy. The dollar usually gains in value when the Fed announces a hawkish stance on interest rates. However, when the FOMC cuts interest rates, the dollar typically falls. The Federal Open Market Committee is the committee that decides on the US government’s monetary policy. It is also responsible for open market operations, which include the sale and purchase of U.S. government securities and bonds. The Fed has three tools to control monetary policy: the federal funds rate, the discount rate, and the money supply. All three play a role in shaping the economy, but the most important is probably the Federal Open Market Committee’s decision on interest rates.
Despite the Fed’s hawkish policies, the US dollar hasn’t come without a cost. In the last month, the 10-year Treasury yield has jumped 26 basis points. While this increase hasn’t caused much damage in the short term, it will do more long term damage. The Fed’s recent interest rate decision was a shock to the markets. It approved the largest rate hike in over 20 years. While this hike won’t change the monetary policy target, it did give a big boost to the US Dollar. In the last year, the Fed has raised rates by a record 0.75%. The hawkish Fed is not content to let inflation take care of itself. In fact, the monetary policy group is worried that higher interest costs on $30 trillion in debt may tip the economy into a recession.
In addition to the US dollar, other major reserve currencies include the yen, euro, Swiss franc, Australian dollar, British pound sterling, and Canadian dollar. The International Monetary Fund recognizes eight of these currencies.
Wrapping Up
The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States. Its structure includes a Board of Governors and a Federal Open Market Committee, both of which are partially presidentially appointed. The Fed serves as the lender of last resort during economic crises. The Fed’s monetary policy framework is designed to keep interest rates low until inflation rises to two percent. In the past, the Committee has raised interest rates when inflation rose above its target, but this is not the case right now.