According to U.Today, the Federal Reserve's July meeting minutes are set to be released on Wednesday, followed by the Jackson Hole symposium on Thursday. Traders are keenly awaiting the annual economic policy symposium in Jackson Hole, which may provide further clarity on the interest rate outlook. Fed Chair Jerome Powell is scheduled to speak at the event on Friday, which gathers economists, monetary policymakers, and academics from around the world.
The markets have fully priced in a Fed rate decrease in September; however, the odds of a 50 basis point reduction have been reduced to 28.5%, according to CME's FedWatch tool. Wall Street anticipates that Powell might confirm interest rate cuts during the central bank's annual meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Investors are still processing last week's announcement of U.S. retail sales numbers for July and weekly initial unemployment claims, both of which were stronger than expected. These statistics helped to alleviate recent fears about the strength of the U.S. economy, lifting global stock markets.
While markets expect the Fed to start lowering borrowing costs at its September meeting, Powell could remain tight-lipped on the timing of rate cuts in his Friday speech. It would be in his nature to take a cautious, noncommittal approach to announcing precisely how much rates could decrease when the Fed is through with its easing.
The crypto market is posting a mixed reaction in early Monday's trading session ahead of the release of Federal Reserve meeting minutes and the much-anticipated central bank symposium in Jackson Hole this week. Bitcoin and a handful of other cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, Shiba Inu, Internet Computer, PEPE, BONK, and Helium, have experienced losses between 3% and 13%. Some cryptocurrencies, such as XRP, Toncoin, Monero, and Polygon (MATIC), were seeing gains between 2% and 4%.
Bitcoin and the wider crypto market are seeing losses so far this month, even as global markets rebound to record highs after shaking off recession fears about the U.S. economy. Bitcoin has fallen by roughly 10% in August. Analysts identified the risk of Bitcoin selling confiscated by the U.S. government — which is reported to have over $12 billion — as among the challenges for digital assets.
