It’s an action-packed week ahead for world markets again grappling with the prospect of major central banks hiking interest rates for longer to contain persistent inflation.
Fed chief Powell meanwhile testifies before a U.S. Congressional committee on Tuesday. Powell has said the January jobs report showed why the battle against inflation will “take quite a bit of time.” Meanwhile the Reserve Bank of Australia meets Tuesday, and investors there have also reeled in hawkish rate-hike bets.
Measures encouraging consumers to spend more and save less are also anticipated. The direction the Congress sets for the property market and infrastructure spending is also key to appetite for commodities and China’s high-yield bond market. Money markets are increasingly positioning for the Fed to extend its most aggressive tightening cycle since the 1980s. But the world’s dominant central bank might also view recent robust economic performance as temporary, sticking to its forecast of a soft economic landing.
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