Federal Reserve Interest Rate Forecast

Federal Reserve Interest Rate Forecast

It is reported that the latest pricing of the overnight index swap (OIS) shows that the policy interest rate of the Federal Reserve will reach a peak of about 4.83% at the May meeting. Compared with the current level, it means that the Federal Reserve has about 25 basis points of room to raise interest rates, and then there will be about three interest rate cuts of 25 basis points each time at the December meeting. By contrast, last Friday’s closing level showed that the market expected the policy interest rate to reach a peak of 5.30% at the June meeting, while last Thursday showed that it would reach a peak of about 5.5% at the July meeting. The OIS linked to the December meeting has been reduced to slightly higher than 4%, which means that the interest rate will be reduced by about 80 basis points from the peak expected by the market in May, which is similar to three interest rate cuts of 25 basis points each time; December OIS closed at 4.90% on Friday.

The swap contract shows that the market expects the Federal Reserve policy interest rate to peak in May, and then will reduce the interest rate by 75 basis points by the end of the year

Analysis based on this information:


The Overnight Index Swap (OIS) is an indicator of market expectations for the Federal Reserve policy interest rate. The latest OIS suggests that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates to a peak of about 4.83% at the May meeting before cutting them by 25 basis points each time at the December meeting. This implies that the Federal Reserve has only 25 basis points of room to raise interest rates beyond the current level.

These market expectations are in contrast to last Friday’s closing level, which showed that the market expected the policy interest rate to reach a peak of 5.30% at the June meeting, and last Thursday’s expectation that it would reach a peak of about 5.5% at the July meeting. However, the December OIS has reduced to slightly above 4%, which implies that the interest rate will be reduced by about 80 basis points from the peak expected by the market in May, equivalent to three interest rate cuts of 25 basis points each.

The Federal Reserve is under pressure to continue raising interest rates to counter inflationary pressures in the economy, but it must also be careful not to over-tighten monetary policy and risk a recession. The current market expectations indicate that the market is concerned about a possible slowdown in the economy and is therefore pricing in interest rate cuts later in the year.

The OIS is an important tool for interpreting the market’s expectations for interest rates. It provides insight into the direction of interest rates and reflects the degree of risk aversion in the market. Investors, traders, and policymakers use OIS to manage their risk exposure and to plan their investment strategies.

In conclusion, the latest OIS indicates that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates to a peak of about 4.83% at the May meeting before cutting them by 25 basis points each time at the December meeting. The market is pricing in interest rate cuts later in the year, suggesting a possible slowdown in the economy. The OIS is an important tool for interpreting the market’s expectations for interest rates, providing insight into the direction of interest rates and reflecting the degree of risk aversion in the market.

This article and pictures are from the Internet and do not represent Fpips's position. If you infringe, please contact us to delete:https://www.fpips.com/7499/

It is strongly recommended that you study, review, analyze and verify the content independently, use the relevant data and content carefully, and bear all risks arising therefrom.