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Rumors of other central banks following the Fed with raising rates

Cory
January 18, 2017

I have been saying for a while now that if the Fed continues to raise rates (even if it is pathetically slow) we will see other central banks start to follow. A lot of people disagree with me saying that will blow up the system. I agree that higher rates pose a huge threat to the financial system but I also think that the Fed is looked to as a leader.

Below is an article from Bloomberg where the Vanguard Group, the world’s second largest money manager, sates they believe the Bank of Canada may hike rates once this year. There is also pressure building on Mark Carney over in the UK to start raising rates in the face of higher inflation data. A shift in central bank policy always happens slowly but let’s watch throughout this year as I believe rumors about central banks starting to raise rates will build. The central banks will still be behind the curve and negative real rates will remain.

Here’s the article from Bloomberg…

Vanguard Sees Bank of Canada Following Fed Higher This Year

  • Chief economist says Canada’s central bank could hike once
  • Economy tougher than many think, even after oil downturn

Canada’s economy is in better shape than many analysts think and will require an interest-rate increase by the end of the year, according to Vanguard Group Inc., the world’s second-biggest money manager.

Vanguard’s call bucks the consensus view that the Bank of Canada won’t raise its key interest rate from 0.5 percent until the second quarter of 2018, according to 16 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Stephen Poloz, the central bank governor, delivers the bank’s next rate announcement with an assessment of the economy on Wednesday.

“Our contention has been and remains that the U.S. economy and the Canadian economy would remain resilient, even in the face of the ferocious commodity sell-off and even with the froth in the housing market,” said Joseph Davis, head of investment strategy and global chief economist at the Malvern, Pennsylvania-based firm. “I think the recent data toward the end of 2016 only bore that out.”

Canada’s commodities-reliant economy has muddled through a two-year slump, buffeted by a downturn in oil prices, a housing boom which has recently cooled, record levels of household debt, and sluggish exports. However, better-than-expected trade and jobs data released Jan. 6 suggest that the world’s 10th biggest economy may have turned a corner.

“I think it’s appropriate to have modestly higher interest rates,” said Davis in an interview at Vanguard’s Toronto office. He forecasts the yield on the Canada 10-year government bond will rise to 2 percent over the next year from about 1.7 percent now.

The U.S. Federal Reserve has a case to raise rates in March and June, which would pave the way for Poloz to follow with a 25-basis-point rise later this year, Davis said.

Output Gap

Only two other firms see rate hikes this year. Moody’s Economy.com forecasts a 25 basis-point increase in the third and fourth quarters and Deutsche Bank AG calls for a hike in the fourth quarter. Futures traders see a 33 percent probability that the Bank of Canada will raise rates in October or December.

“Canada continues to have a sizable output gap,” Benjamin Reitzes, senior economist at Bank of Montreal, said in a note to clients on Friday. Poloz will likely reinforce the divergence between the Canadian and U.S. economies in the rate statement and monetary policy report.

While the anti-trade rhetoric of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and upcoming elections in Europe are concerning for Canada and globally, Davis said he doesn’t see the introduction of broad-based tariffs around the world.

“I think the likelihood of a significant retracement or retrenchment from the increasing global trade is going to be much tougher to engineer, even if that is the intent, just given how integrated global supply chains are,” Davis said. “That clearly would be a negative for the global economy.”

Discussion
10 Comments
    CFS
    Jan 18, 2017 18:06 AM

    Is Gary right on Dollar?
    https://youtu.be/jcyXd7XP_wc

    China and Russia currencies went down simultaneously today. Was this cordinated by them or by a US move.
    In the last days of the Obama presidency is anything to be trusted in the markets?

    CFS
    Jan 18, 2017 18:20 AM
    Jan 18, 2017 18:42 AM

    We badly need 2 rate increases in Canada as the weak dollar is killing our purchasing power. The shorts would get caught with their pants down. Porsche/Audi prices keep going up and looking depressing.
    Would somebody please shut the Trump up. He keeps tweeting and that may cause a big correction or crash. Oil weakening may be a sign of what is to come. I am selling out of everything and taking my toys and going home.

    Jan 18, 2017 18:46 AM

    The real estate bubble in Canada needs significant rate hikes to start bursting this bubble. New townhouse in my good area are selling for 1.15 million. They are worth more lik 400k.

      CFS
      Jan 18, 2017 18:22 AM

      Be careful what you wish for Paul L, it seems to me the real estate bubble is already bursting.

        CFS
        Jan 18, 2017 18:27 AM

        Paul L, you do realize significant interest rate increases will kill the economy and limit people’s borrowing capability.
        Most economies today run on debt. They shouldn’t. But what is and what should be are two different beasts.

    CFS
    Jan 18, 2017 18:53 AM

    Trump’s Top Priority Infrastructure projects:
    http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user5/imageroot/2017/01/15/top%2010%20infra%20projects.jpg
    Seems to mostly demonstrating how over-blown Federal bureaucracy now is.
    (Since many of these could be better handled at the state level, if the Federal government suck up so much taxing ability)

    And here is about to come a value added tax?

    CFS
    Jan 18, 2017 18:31 AM

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-18/dimon-says-euro-zone-may-not-survive-without-change-in-direction

    The Euro cannot survive; the common market should and probably will.

    (Despite the stupidity of the IMF)

    Jan 18, 2017 18:58 PM

    Each day speculators distort currency values by selling currencies against the dollar increases odds of central banks raising rates to defend currencies Mexico is an example

    Cory’s bet against consensus sounds like a good one