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Please consider the following snips from the Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee January 30–31, 2024, released today.

The staff provided an update on its assessment of the stability of the U.S. financial system and, on balance, characterized the system’s financial vulnerabilities as notable. The staff judged that asset valuation pressures remained notable, as valuations across a range of markets appeared high relative to fundamentals. House prices increased to the upper end of their historical range, relative to rents and Treasury yields, though underwriting standards remained restrictive. CRE prices continued to decline, especially in the multifamily and office sectors, and low levels of transactions in the office sector likely indicated that prices had not yet fully reflected the sector’s weaker fundamentals. Vulnerabilities associated with business and household debt were characterized as moderate. Nonfinancial business debt growth declined, and the ability of firms to service their debt remained high relative to history.

Leverage in the financial sector was characterized as notable. In the banking sector, regulatory risk-based capital ratios continued to increase and indicated ample loss-bearing capacity in the banking system. The fair value of banks’ longer-term fixed-rate assets, including loans, increased in the fourth quarter as longer-term interest rates decreased, though banks remained vulnerable to significant increases in longer-term interest rates. Insurers had been increasing their investments in risky corporate debt. Funding risks were also characterized as notable. Uninsured deposits declined in the aggregate but remained high for some banks. Assets in prime money market mutual funds and other cash management vehicles continued to increase.

Regarding the economic outlook, participants judged that the current stance of monetary policy was restrictive and would continue to put downward pressure on economic activity and inflation. Accordingly, they expected that supply and demand in product and labor markets would continue to move into better balance. In light of the policy restraint in place, along with more favorable inflation data amid ongoing improvements in supply conditions, participants viewed the risks to achieving the Committee’s employment and inflation goals as moving into better balance. However, participants noted that the economic outlook was uncertain and that they remained highly attentive to inflation risks.

While many participants pointed to disinflationary pressures associated with improvements in aggregate supply—such as increases in the labor force or better productivity growth—a couple of participants judged that the downward pressure on core goods prices from the normalization of supply chains was likely to moderate.

In discussing the policy outlook, participants judged that the policy rate was likely at its peak for this tightening cycle. They pointed to the decline in inflation seen during 2023 and to growing signs of demand and supply coming into better balance in product and labor markets as informing that view. Participants generally noted that they did not expect it would be appropriate to reduce the target range for the federal funds rate until they had gained greater confidence that inflation was moving sustainably toward 2 percent.

Four Notable Things

• System’s financial vulnerabilities are notable
• Asset valuation pressures remained notable
• Insurers had been increasing their investments in risky corporate debt. Funding risks were also characterized as notable.
• Leverage in the financial sector was characterized as notable.

Concern Over Inflation

In light of the policy restraint in place, along with more favorable inflation data amid ongoing improvements in supply conditions, participants viewed the risks to achieving the Committee’s employment and inflation goals as moving into better balance.

However, participants noted that the economic outlook was uncertain and that they remained highly attentive to inflation risks. In their discussion of inflation, participants observed that inflation had eased over the past year but remained above the Committee’s 2 percent inflation objective.

They remained concerned that elevated inflation continued to harm households, especially those with limited means to absorb higher prices. While the inflation data had indicated significant disinflation in the second half of last year, participants observed that they would be carefully assessing incoming data in judging whether inflation was moving down sustainably toward 2 percent.

Various participants noted that housing services inflation was likely to fall further as the deceleration in rents on new leases continued to pass through to measures of such inflation. While many participants pointed to disinflationary pressures associated with improvements in aggregate supply—such as increases in the labor force or better productivity growth—a couple of participants judged that the downward pressure on core goods prices from the normalization of supply chains was likely to moderate.

Inflation is wait-and-see but the Fed’s concern over asset bubbles and leverage is obvious, and notable.

The Fed’s Big Problem, There Are Two Economies But Only One Interest Rate

In case you missed it, please see The Fed’s Big Problem, There Are Two Economies But Only One Interest Rate

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