The September FOMC meeting kick-started the Fed’s easing cycle with a significant 50bps cut in the Federal Funds Target Rate, leaving it at +4.75% - +5.0%. Unusually, this large step was taken even as the US economy remains strong, and explicitly with a view to keeping it so. Effectively, macroeconomic conditions having induced a shift in the Fed’s priorities towards the ‘maximum employment’ component of its dual mandate, while still not declaring mission accomplished on the inflation side
GDP growth, inflation, interest and exchange rates.
We expect September 17-18 FOMC Meeting to result in a 25bps decrease in the Federal Funds Target Rate to 5.0% - 5.25% - barring a huge surprise. This move will launch the beginning of an easing cycle for monetary policy. The combination of improved data and outlook for inflation and the ‘unmistakable’ softening of the labour market leads to a shift in the Fed’s priorities, paving the way for rate cuts. A few thoughts beyond the direction change:
The household savings rate in France has risen further, up from 17.6% of households' gross disposable income (GDI) in Q1 2024 to 17.9% in Q2 2024, according to the INSEE, i.e. 1 point more in a year. This is also an early sign of an upward trend underway in the Eurozone. While the figures for Q2 are not yet available, the Q1 figures pointed to a savings rate 3 points higher than its pre-COVID level (at 15.4%).
While the date of the Fed's first rate cut is now foreseeable (it will be at the FOMC on 17-18 September), everything else remains uncertain: the size of the cut, as well as the overall extent of the easing cycle and the timing of the cuts. Developments on the US labour market are key in this calibration. In terms of inflation, significant progress has been made regarding the return to price stability on both sides of the Atlantic, but the battle is far from won. This calls for caution in the monetary easing that is beginning
In August 2024, French inflation is expected to fall back below 2% year-on-year for the first time in three years (August 2021). This disinflation is mainly linked to energy prices and is expected to increase further at the start of 2025 for the same reasons (expected drop in electricity prices). By contrast, inflation in services, which has been impacted by an Olympic effect in particular, is expected to remain high in the short term, but will not prevent further disinflation.
Key figures for the French economy compared with those of the main European countries, analysis of data on the population and the French labour market, activity by sector, publication administration figures, inflation, credit and interest rates, corporate and household accounts.
GDP growth, inflation, exchange and interest rates.
While recent economic data across the board suggest that growth was strong in Q2, leading indicators (business climate, household confidence) were more mixed in June, pointing to a more difficult Q3. This is particularly the case in the US, where even the ISM non-manufacturing index deteriorated sharply in June, while in Japan and the UK, growth should return to a more normal level after a very favourable Q2 (and benefiting from rebound effects in Japan, after a more difficult Q1).
The difficulties in the Eurozone manufacturing sector are intensifying. Industrial production fell again in May, by -0.6% m/m (-0.8% m/m for the manufacturing index). The deterioration in the PMI indicators for the euro area in June does not bode well for Q3, with a fall in the manufacturing index (-1.5 points to 45.8) and a decline in all the subcomponents (production, employment, new orders, stocks of purchases, delivery times). The input price index (which is not included in the calculation of the aggregate manufacturing index) is back above the expansion zone for the first time since February 2023. This is consistent with the trend in producer prices, for which the monthly decline has been slowing for several months and is now close to zero
The French economy is once again feeling the weight of economic uncertainty, as shown by the rebound in the Banque de France's uncertainty indicator, which in July reached its highest level since autumn 2022 (energy crisis). This could weaken a business climate that is already a little less favourable in France (composite PMI at 48.8 in June) than in the eurozone (PMI above 50 for the past four months).
Italian inflation stabilised below the 1% mark in June (at 0.9% y/y) due to the still significant deflation in the energy component (-8.6% y/y), and the slowdown in food prices (2.1% y/y in May; -1.8 pp over three months). Although the producer price index is still negative year-on-year (-3.5% in May), it is beginning to strengthen on a monthly basis (+0.3% m/m), suggesting that the disinflationary phase in consumer prices could be reversed over the coming months.
Expectations in terms of growth for Q2 remain favourable: we expect it to be +0.6% q/q compared to +0.5% q/q for the Atlanta Fed's GDPNow. However, several elements suggest a more difficult Q3. The ISM surveys in June returned a negative signal: mixed for the manufacturing component, which deteriorated marginally, to 48.5 (-0.2 points), against a backdrop of falling production (48.5, -1.7 points), more marked for the non-manufacturing index, which fell to 48.8 (-5.0 points), against a backdrop of a correction in activity (49.6, -11.6 points), and a deterioration in new orders (47.3, -6.8 points). The NFIB (Small Business Optimism Index) again rose only slightly in June (91.5, +1
The rise in activity is welcome news for the recently elected Labour Party. According to the ONS, the monthly figures for real GDP (or, to be more precise, real value added) show that UK activity rose by 0.4% m/m in May, following a levelling-off in April. Although the manufacturing sector (+0.4% m/m) and construction (+1.9% m/m) were more supportive of growth than services (+0.3% m/m) in May, it is the latter that have been driving activity over the past year, with a rebound in transport and logistics (+7.3% y/y) and a clear acceleration in ‘professional, scientific and technical’ activities (+4.1% y/y).
Japan's economic growth should benefit from a technical upturn in Q2: we expect growth of 0.5% q/q after the contraction in Q1 (revised downwards to -0.7% q/q). The outlook remains negative – particularly for demand, despite the tax cuts introduced in June – while household consumption spending contracted by -1.8% y/y in May. Furthermore, while wage increases (excluding bonuses) reached their highest level since 1993 in May (+2.5% y/y), a sign of the growing transmission of negotiated wage increases (+5.1% y/y according to the Rengo trade union), real incomes are still not rising (-1.4% y/y).
The Moroccan economy has held up well against the consecutive shocks of recent years. The GDP losses resulting from the Covid crisis were quickly recovered and the 2023 inflationary shock has passed. With inflation dipping below 1% since the beginning of the year, compared to its peak of 10% at the start of 2023, it is no longer a source of major concern. In June, the Bank of Morocco decided to ease its monetary policy. The solid external accounts and the ongoing consolidation of public finances have also reassured the monetary authorities in their decision-making.
Poland’s economy has generally shown resilience during periods of turbulence since the financial crisis of 2008-2009. For instance, in 2009, the country was able to avoid a recession in contrast to neighbouring countries. Since 2020, successive shocks have constrained GDP growth momentum, but strong fiscal buffers enabled the authorities to implement generous supportive measures. The country remains amongst the best performing economies in the region in the early months of 2024, with its GDP above 11% in Q12024 compared to its pre-COVID levels. Overall, the country reinforced its position in Europe, judging from the increase of Poland’s economic weight in the EU (measured by GDP in purchasing power parity) and gains in market share
Having a good understanding of a central bank’s reaction function is important. It influences inflation and interest rate expectations, the level of bond yields, investor risk appetite and economic confidence in general. In the US, different types of information help to improve our understanding of the Federal Reserve’s reaction function: monetary policy rules -which play a prominent role in the material prepared by the Fed staff for the FOMC meetings-, the relationship between inflation, growth, unemployment and the federal funds rate in the Summary of Economic Projections of FOMC members as well as speeches and press conferences
Since a 1977 act, the dual mandate of the Federal Reserve (Fed) has de jure entrusted it with the objectives of maximum employment and price stability (the latter being expected to favour the former in the long term). However, these objectives can come into conflict and, as has been the case since March 2022, the Fed may have to give clear priority to reducing inflation at the risk of damaging employment and output. This refers to the concept of sacrifice ratio or trade-off, i.e. the expected cumulative deterioration of the latter to help bring inflation back to its target (2%).
Our central scenario of a Eurozone take-off and a US soft landing, confirmed by the latest available indicators, is characterised by an expected convergence in growth rates. This base case could, however, be impacted by political uncertainties on both sides of the Atlantic (uncertain outcomes of the early parliamentary elections in France and the US presidential election). Furthermore, while the ECB began its easing cycle in June, as expected, providing timely support for growth, the Fed is still holding back. This extension of the status quo, even if it seems justified for the time being, constitutes another downside risk. However, growth is benefiting from other supportive and resilient factors, chief among them real wage gains
