Investors are on pins and needles, practically begging for interest rate cuts to juice up those riskier investments, like crypto.
But with inflation still acting like a toddler refusing to eat their veggies, the Federal Reserve isn’t budging.
Promising rumors?
Enter Kevin Hassett, a bigwig from Trump’s advisory crew, who’s been buddying up with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on the regular.
Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council tells @margbrennan that he’s now arranged regular lunches with Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell and that the “Fed’s independence is respected.” When asked if the meetings are to influence policy, he says no,… pic.twitter.com/BwY4Vvhg9H
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) February 16, 2025
When asked if he was trying to sweet-talk Powell into cutting rates, Hassett played it cool, saying Powell’s his own man but, hey, the president’s got a right to speak his mind.
He even pointed out that long-term rates have dipped a bit since Trump took office, hinting that maybe the market thinks inflation’s calming down.
Interest rates
But then Powell threw a curveball. Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee, he said the Fed’s in no rush to play with interest rates.
That kinda squashed hopes for the rate cuts everyone’s been dreaming about for 2025.
And to twist the knife, the latest inflation report came out, showing inflation is still being a pain. Annual inflation hit 3% in January 2025, a bit higher than expected.
Bitcoin took a dip, dropping below $95,000 as investors braced themselves for interest rates to stay high.
Golden age delayed?
Right now, the smart money isn’t betting on a rate cut anytime soon. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s FedWatch tool revealed that only a tiny fraction of traders, 3% think the Fed will cut rates at their next meeting in March.
With inflation refusing to cooperate, a potential trade war brewing, and other economic storm clouds gathering, investors are getting feel the heat.
