Paraguay Holds Interest Rate at 5.5% as Inflation Remains Stable Amid Global Uncertainty 
Bank of Korea Signals Potential Interest Rate Hikes as Inflation Remains Elevated 
Bank of England Set to Hold Interest Rates as Inflation Risks and Iran War Impact Loom 
RBA Raises Interest Rates to 4.35% Amid Rising Inflation Risks and Middle East Tensions 
Japan Inflation Expectations Rise as BOJ Rate Hike Timing Faces Uncertainty 
Bank of Japan Signals Potential Rate Hike as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Shock 
Fed’s Goolsbee Warns Inflation Remains Elevated, Signals Caution on Rate Cuts 
FOMC followed through its promise and hiked rates four times in 2018 and forecasted two more rate hikes for 2019. Current Federal funds rate - 225-250 bps (Note, all calculations are based on data as of 4th February)
- March 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 98.7 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 1.3 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
- May 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 98.7 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 1.3 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
- June 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 95.4 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 4.6 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
- July 2019 meeting: Market is 1.2 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, and 95.5 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 3.3 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
- September 2019 meeting: Market is 1.2 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, and 95.5 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 3.3 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
- October 2019 meeting: Market is 1.2 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, and 95.5 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 3.3 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
- December 2019 meeting: Market is 8.5 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, and 87.4 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 4.1 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
The probability is suggesting,
- Since our last review a week ago, the probabilities have loosened, especially after Federal Reserve announcement that the central bank would remain patient on future rate hikes.
- The market is pricing just one rate hike for 2019 and that with just 4.1 percent probability, compared to a 26.2 percent a week ago and 23.4 percent in the week before that, which means that the market far from pricing a rate hike in 2019, despite Fed’s forecast of two hikes.
- The market is now pricing a rate cut in 2019 with 8.5 percent probability, compared to 4.3 percent a week ago, and 4.4 percent probability, a week before that.
