Bets on July Fed Rate Cut Gain Momentum After U.S. Jobs Report
- Futures show almost a quarter-point of easing priced for July
- Yield curve resumes steepening on weaker-than-expected report
This article is for subscribers only.
Bond traders’ conviction that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates within months in response to a weakening growth outlook and escalating trade tensions firmed after a batch of weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs data.
Fed funds futures show a quarter-point cut almost fully priced in for July, and indicate about 70 basis points of easing by the end of 2019. The two-year Treasury yield fell as much as 11 basis points to 1.77%, close to the 2019 low reached Wednesday, and it was on course for its fifth weekly decline. The last time that happened was back in July 2016, when the U.S. central bank’s target range was 2 percentage points lower than right now.