The focus of this week’s show is the focus of markets: the Fed decision: calling it “highly anticipated” would be an understatement. We cover the event from all angles.

1. Dovish or hawkish: The market reaction heavily depends on the tone: optimistic or pessimistic, for the near and also further future.
2. Employment and wages: With a low unemployment rate, where are the wage rises? The Fed must be frustrated with this conundrum. Will they see the glass-half-empty or half-full?
3. Guidance: The Fed wants to be more transparent, but is it providing Too Much Information?
4. Getting ahead of bubbles?: Bubbles may exist, but they are more limited. If anything, there is a bubble in bonds, and this should encourage governments to spend: fiscal stimulus and not monetary stimulus.
5. What to look out for: We have a statement, forecasts, the dot-plot, Yellen’s press conference and a lot of talk from the outside.
6. Why rates are important: It’s only 25 basis points, so why do we care? Markets still move.
7. Getting ready for the next recession?: We debunk some of the myths regarding economic cycles and history that never actually repeats itself in full.
8. Preview: The only notable event apart from the Fed is the BOJ decision, which happens on the same day. A higher yen seems like a reasonable scenario.

Listen to the podcast here:

Download it directly here.

Audio length: 00:27:35