Fed Hike aftermath Series: Hike probabilities over coming meetings

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 25th February)

• March 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 94.8 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 5.2 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
   
• May 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 3.8 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, 91.2 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 5 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
   
• June 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 6.8 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, 88.4 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 4.8 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
   
• July 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 6.8 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, 88.4 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 4.8 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
   
• September 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 6.7 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, 86.5 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 6.8 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
   
• October 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 8.8 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, 86.6 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 4.7 percent probability that rates will be at 2.50-2.75 percent.
   
• December 2019 meeting: Market is attaching 12.5 percent probability that rates will be at 2.00-2.25 percent, 83 percent probability that rates will be at 2.25-2.50 percent, and 4.5 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 somewhat eased.
• The market is pricing just one rate hike for 2019 and that with just 4.5 percent probability, compared to a 1.8 percent a week ago and 0 percent in the week before that, which means that the market is 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 12.5 percent probability, compared to 11.6 percent a week ago, and 19.5 percent probability, a week before that.