It’s widely expected that at the end of this month, the Federal Reserve will end its third round of quantitative easing (that began in September of 2012)…[but] is there another round of QE coming? Here’s why I ask:
The above introductory comments are edited excerpts from an article* by Michael Lombardi (profitconfidential.com) entitled About That QE4….
The following article is presented by
Lorimer Wilson, editor of
www.munKNEE.com (Your Key to Making Money!) and the
FREE Market Intelligence Report newsletter (sample here). This paragraph must be included in any article re-posting to avoid copyright infringement
.
Lombardi goes on to say in further edited excerpts:
Here’s why I ask:
1. U.S. long-term bond yields are collapsing. Back in 2013, when the Federal Reserve hinted that it might move away from quantitative easing, we saw U.S. bond yields soar. Between May and December of 2013, yields on the U.S. 10-year notes almost doubled but since then the unexpected happened.
Chart courtesy of www.StockCharts.com
Since the beginning of 2014, the yields on the same bonds have plunged 30%. Despite the Federal Reserve telling us it expects to raise interest rates in 2015 and 2016 (which would be catastrophic for bonds), bond prices are rising… Odd, to say the least.
2. I hear hints about QE4 from key members of the Federal Reserve. In an interview with Reuters, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco said, “If we really get a sustained, dis-inflationary forecast…then I think moving back to additional asset purchases in a situation like that should be something we should seriously consider.” (Source: “Exclusive: Fed’s Williams downplays global risks, eyes U.S. inflation,” Reuters, October 14, 2014.)
In other words, if inflation in the U.S. economy doesn’t meet the Federal Reserve’s target of two percent, then the Fed should reconsider its thoughts on quantitative easing. Sadly, according to the official figures, inflation in the U.S. economy for the first eight months of the year was just 1.3%—well below what the Federal Reserve wants. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics web site, last accessed October 15, 2014.)
3. The U.S. economy is showing signs of weakness as economic data suggest the so-called recovery is stalling. Retail sales are down. Unemployment (when you include people who have given up looking for work and those who have part-time jobs because they can’t get full-time jobs) is still a huge overhang on the economy five years after the financial crisis. To fight this issue, the Federal Reserve may do what it has been doing since the Great Recession—print more money and hope for growth.
4. If the stock market crashes further, I believe it will be in the Fed’s best interest to come in and support the market. After all, a falling stock market would damage consumer confidence, which would push retail sales and corporate profits down. Here come the layoffs!
Editor’s Note: The author’s views and conclusions in the above article are unaltered and no personal comments have been included to maintain the integrity of the original post. Furthermore, the views, conclusions and any recommendations offered in this article are not to be construed as an endorsement of such by the editor.
*http://www.profitconfidential.com/economic-analysis/qe4-could-soon-become-reality/
If you liked this article then “Follow the munKNEE” & get each new post via
Related Articles:
munKNEE.com Your Key to Making Money
