Global crash unnerves Fed - Interest rates will plunge
The global market meltdown unnerved the Fed and they made their first intermeeting Fed Funds rate cut of 75 bp
since September 17, 2001. Investors are still massively selling off
Tuesday because they are panicked. Even though the cut is positive,
they are selling to catch up with the other markets with one extra day
of losses due to the MLK holiday. The bear market dominates and a
"sell into the rally" mentality is the theme for today.
The Fed finally looks like they will take a sledge hammer to avoiding the recession for the globe's sake, and it's quite likely that another 50pb cut is coming on January 31 for their formal meeting.
The dollar is doing fine, reflecting the fact that Central Banks are all working in unison to solve the global selloff. The European Central Bank is also considering rate cuts. If the dollar continues to hold up over the short term, it will engender confidence that the US can lead the global markets away from today's panic. In fact, the theory that the US and other global markets are decoupling and not moving in tandem is being proven wrong, and makes a US market recovery a prerequisite to global recovery.
Today seems to be one of the most important trading days since post-9/11. On a lighter note, the panic is reminiscent of the October 19, 1987 meltdown which had a quick recovery afterwards. The economy still remains strong enough to potentially avoid recession a reflected by the Fed's and other more optimistic economists' forecasts. Together with a low interest rate scenario, market stabilization and recovery are quite possible.
UPDATES:
1/22/08 6:50am - Financials rally because simply put, their margins for lending have increased... they borrow at a lower interest rate and sell loans at the prevailing rate.
The Fed finally looks like they will take a sledge hammer to avoiding the recession for the globe's sake, and it's quite likely that another 50pb cut is coming on January 31 for their formal meeting.
The dollar is doing fine, reflecting the fact that Central Banks are all working in unison to solve the global selloff. The European Central Bank is also considering rate cuts. If the dollar continues to hold up over the short term, it will engender confidence that the US can lead the global markets away from today's panic. In fact, the theory that the US and other global markets are decoupling and not moving in tandem is being proven wrong, and makes a US market recovery a prerequisite to global recovery.
Today seems to be one of the most important trading days since post-9/11. On a lighter note, the panic is reminiscent of the October 19, 1987 meltdown which had a quick recovery afterwards. The economy still remains strong enough to potentially avoid recession a reflected by the Fed's and other more optimistic economists' forecasts. Together with a low interest rate scenario, market stabilization and recovery are quite possible.
UPDATES:
1/22/08 6:50am - Financials rally because simply put, their margins for lending have increased... they borrow at a lower interest rate and sell loans at the prevailing rate.
Could it be that Bush ruins not only our economy, but the global economy as well?
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