周三,超预期疲软的通胀报告令华尔街欢欣鼓舞。这不仅是6月份通货膨胀率同比下降至3.0%,还是两年多来的最低水平。美国劳工统计局(BLS)报告称,不包括波动性较大的食品和能源价格的核心通胀率也降至4.8%,为2021年10月以来的最低水平。这些数据正是美联储官员在抗击顽固通胀时所希望看到的。去年6月,美国通货膨胀率达到40年来的峰值9.1%。
瑞德集团(Lazard)首席市场策略师罗纳德·坦普尔在接受《财富》杂志采访时表示:“这份报告未尝没有可取之处。现在开香槟庆祝还为时过早,但现在开始冰镇香槟正当时。”
这些数据突显了美联储加息一年多后在对抗通胀方面取得的进展,但这也得益于大宗商品价格下跌,以及与去年通胀高企时的数据形成的鲜明对照。不过,标准普尔500指数和以科技股为主的纳斯达克综合指数(Nasdaq Composite)周三对最新通胀数据反应积极,截至午盘分别上涨0.6%和0.65%。
贝莱德(BlackRock)全球固定收益部门首席投资官兼全球配置投资团队主管里克·里德表示,6月通胀“明显放缓”,“整体而言,对政策制定者、市场和家庭都释放出利好消息”。不过,和许多同行一样,里德也认为,3%的通胀率还不足以让美联储停止加息,要达到2%的目标利率还需再接再厉。
他说:“总体而言,我们认为各国央行,尤其是美联储,希望看到通胀率持续走低的趋势(比我们长期以来看到的情况更持久)。不过,如今的情况是这一趋势实现健康发展的良好开端。”
美国总统拜登很快对最新的通货膨胀报告表示了祝贺。在他担任总统期间,生活成本上升一直受到指责。白宫在周三的一份声明中说:“就业形势一片大好,生活成本下降:这表明拜登经济学正在发挥作用。今天的报告带来了鼓舞人心的新证据,表明通货膨胀率正在下降,而我们的经济仍然强劲。”
深入研究
在最新的通胀报告中,我们可以看到典型的通货紧缩和通货膨胀价格类别混合在一起。
在通货膨胀方面,住房、汽车保险、服装、娱乐和个人护理指数在6月份都较上月有所上升。美国劳工统计局报告称,尽管住房价格较5月份有所下降,但住房指数仍是上月消费者价格指数(CPI)的最大贡献者,占通胀涨幅的70%以上。住房价格环比上涨0.4%,同比上涨7.8%。
但是,尽管消费者价格指数中的住房价格在6月份继续上涨,但该指数是一个滞后指标。房价实际上自去年第二季度以来持续下跌。
Raymond James的首席经济学家欧亨尼奥·阿莱曼表示:“这意味着,如果正如我们所预期的那样,住房成本在下半年开始大幅走弱,那么通胀数据大幅下降的前景看起来非常乐观。”
另一方面,6月份机票、通讯、家居用品和运营指数均有所下降。由于燃油价格下跌和国内航空旅行放缓,机票价格仅上个月就下跌了8.1%,过去三个月折合成年率的降幅已达43%。
上个月二手车和卡车价格同比大幅下降5.2%,是核心商品通胀率自2022年12月以来首次下降的主要原因。“我们认为,6月份(二手车价格)的下跌只是一系列下跌的开始,这理应会给核心和总体通胀带来下行压力。此外,我们看到,最近除二手车外的核心商品出现了明显的通缩。”美国银行(Bank of America)首席经济学家迈克尔·加彭在周三的一份报告中写道。
加彭承认,最新的通胀数据“超预期疲软”。加彭在过去一年多的时间里一直在警告,由于顽固通胀和美联储加息,美国经济即将陷入衰退。但这位资深市场观察人士仍然担心,投资者对消费者价格的未来走势过于乐观。
他写道:“我们仍然认为,与定价相比,更具粘性、更持久的通胀可能会挑战长期仓位。”
这对美联储意味着什么?
在最新的消费者价格指数报告公布后,显而易见,投资者、购房者和企业面临着一个大问题:美联储将作何反应?在一年多的激进加息导致许多经济学家担心经济衰退不可避免之后,这份报告是否足以说服美联储主席杰罗姆·鲍威尔改变策略?
《财富》杂志采访过的大多数专家都表示,答案显然是否定的,央行7月加息仍在路上。
“6月份消费者价格指数通胀率放缓至3%,但不要指望美联储会停止加息。”Morning Consult的首席经济学家约翰·莱尔说。美联储主要关注的是核心个人消费支出(PCE)通胀的趋势,过去6个月该指标持续走高。仅仅一个月鼓舞人心的消费者价格指数数据不足以让美联储做出鸽派转向,尤其是在其寻求维持金融市场信用的时候。”
杰富瑞(Jefferies)美国经济学家托马斯·西蒙斯周三在给客户的一份报告中写道,尽管最新的消费者价格指数报告“在某些方面鼓舞人心”,但劳动力市场强劲、薪资上涨、服务业通胀居高不下,以及与一年前的数据形成的鲜明对照,使得“从表面上看,这些数据难以令人信服”。
他说:“美联储在7月26日的会议上加息已基本锁定,但加息将取决于未来几个月公布的几项关键数据,包括7月28日公布的就业成本指数,以及8月公布的就业和通胀数据。如果这些数据继续以我们在过去几个月的消费者价格指数数据中看到的速度放缓,那么7月份加息可能被证明是本轮周期的最后一次行动。”
俄克拉荷马银行(BOK Financial)的首席投资策略师史蒂夫·怀特则略微看涨,他认为今天的通胀数据将有望支持经济软着陆。软着陆是指通胀逐渐消退,却不会导致以就业岗位减少为特征的经济衰退。
他对《财富》杂志表示:“经济面临的风险依然存在,但今天的数据应该会向美联储提供这样一个信号:他们可能不必采取更多措施。这不会阻止美联储在本月晚些时候的会议上采取加息行动,但它确实有助于减少人们对美联储可能不得不采取比目前预期更激进的利率措施的担忧。”(财富中文网)
译者:中慧言-王芳
周三,超预期疲软的通胀报告令华尔街欢欣鼓舞。这不仅是6月份通货膨胀率同比下降至3.0%,还是两年多来的最低水平。美国劳工统计局(BLS)报告称,不包括波动性较大的食品和能源价格的核心通胀率也降至4.8%,为2021年10月以来的最低水平。这些数据正是美联储官员在抗击顽固通胀时所希望看到的。去年6月,美国通货膨胀率达到40年来的峰值9.1%。
瑞德集团(Lazard)首席市场策略师罗纳德·坦普尔在接受《财富》杂志采访时表示:“这份报告未尝没有可取之处。现在开香槟庆祝还为时过早,但现在开始冰镇香槟正当时。”
这些数据突显了美联储加息一年多后在对抗通胀方面取得的进展,但这也得益于大宗商品价格下跌,以及与去年通胀高企时的数据形成的鲜明对照。不过,标准普尔500指数和以科技股为主的纳斯达克综合指数(Nasdaq Composite)周三对最新通胀数据反应积极,截至午盘分别上涨0.6%和0.65%。
贝莱德(BlackRock)全球固定收益部门首席投资官兼全球配置投资团队主管里克·里德表示,6月通胀“明显放缓”,“整体而言,对政策制定者、市场和家庭都释放出利好消息”。不过,和许多同行一样,里德也认为,3%的通胀率还不足以让美联储停止加息,要达到2%的目标利率还需再接再厉。
他说:“总体而言,我们认为各国央行,尤其是美联储,希望看到通胀率持续走低的趋势(比我们长期以来看到的情况更持久)。不过,如今的情况是这一趋势实现健康发展的良好开端。”
美国总统拜登很快对最新的通货膨胀报告表示了祝贺。在他担任总统期间,生活成本上升一直受到指责。白宫在周三的一份声明中说:“就业形势一片大好,生活成本下降:这表明拜登经济学正在发挥作用。今天的报告带来了鼓舞人心的新证据,表明通货膨胀率正在下降,而我们的经济仍然强劲。”
深入研究
在最新的通胀报告中,我们可以看到典型的通货紧缩和通货膨胀价格类别混合在一起。
在通货膨胀方面,住房、汽车保险、服装、娱乐和个人护理指数在6月份都较上月有所上升。美国劳工统计局报告称,尽管住房价格较5月份有所下降,但住房指数仍是上月消费者价格指数(CPI)的最大贡献者,占通胀涨幅的70%以上。住房价格环比上涨0.4%,同比上涨7.8%。
但是,尽管消费者价格指数中的住房价格在6月份继续上涨,但该指数是一个滞后指标。房价实际上自去年第二季度以来持续下跌。
Raymond James的首席经济学家欧亨尼奥·阿莱曼表示:“这意味着,如果正如我们所预期的那样,住房成本在下半年开始大幅走弱,那么通胀数据大幅下降的前景看起来非常乐观。”
另一方面,6月份机票、通讯、家居用品和运营指数均有所下降。由于燃油价格下跌和国内航空旅行放缓,机票价格仅上个月就下跌了8.1%,过去三个月折合成年率的降幅已达43%。
上个月二手车和卡车价格同比大幅下降5.2%,是核心商品通胀率自2022年12月以来首次下降的主要原因。“我们认为,6月份(二手车价格)的下跌只是一系列下跌的开始,这理应会给核心和总体通胀带来下行压力。此外,我们看到,最近除二手车外的核心商品出现了明显的通缩。”美国银行(Bank of America)首席经济学家迈克尔·加彭在周三的一份报告中写道。
加彭承认,最新的通胀数据“超预期疲软”。加彭在过去一年多的时间里一直在警告,由于顽固通胀和美联储加息,美国经济即将陷入衰退。但这位资深市场观察人士仍然担心,投资者对消费者价格的未来走势过于乐观。
他写道:“我们仍然认为,与定价相比,更具粘性、更持久的通胀可能会挑战长期仓位。”
这对美联储意味着什么?
在最新的消费者价格指数报告公布后,显而易见,投资者、购房者和企业面临着一个大问题:美联储将作何反应?在一年多的激进加息导致许多经济学家担心经济衰退不可避免之后,这份报告是否足以说服美联储主席杰罗姆·鲍威尔改变策略?
《财富》杂志采访过的大多数专家都表示,答案显然是否定的,央行7月加息仍在路上。
“6月份消费者价格指数通胀率放缓至3%,但不要指望美联储会停止加息。”Morning Consult的首席经济学家约翰·莱尔说。美联储主要关注的是核心个人消费支出(PCE)通胀的趋势,过去6个月该指标持续走高。仅仅一个月鼓舞人心的消费者价格指数数据不足以让美联储做出鸽派转向,尤其是在其寻求维持金融市场信用的时候。”
杰富瑞(Jefferies)美国经济学家托马斯·西蒙斯周三在给客户的一份报告中写道,尽管最新的消费者价格指数报告“在某些方面鼓舞人心”,但劳动力市场强劲、薪资上涨、服务业通胀居高不下,以及与一年前的数据形成的鲜明对照,使得“从表面上看,这些数据难以令人信服”。
他说:“美联储在7月26日的会议上加息已基本锁定,但加息将取决于未来几个月公布的几项关键数据,包括7月28日公布的就业成本指数,以及8月公布的就业和通胀数据。如果这些数据继续以我们在过去几个月的消费者价格指数数据中看到的速度放缓,那么7月份加息可能被证明是本轮周期的最后一次行动。”
俄克拉荷马银行(BOK Financial)的首席投资策略师史蒂夫·怀特则略微看涨,他认为今天的通胀数据将有望支持经济软着陆。软着陆是指通胀逐渐消退,却不会导致以就业岗位减少为特征的经济衰退。
他对《财富》杂志表示:“经济面临的风险依然存在,但今天的数据应该会向美联储提供这样一个信号:他们可能不必采取更多措施。这不会阻止美联储在本月晚些时候的会议上采取加息行动,但它确实有助于减少人们对美联储可能不得不采取比目前预期更激进的利率措施的担忧。”(财富中文网)
译者:中慧言-王芳
A softer-than-expected inflation report had Wall Street celebrating on Wednesday. It wasn’t just the big headline of year-over-year inflation falling to 3.0% in June, its lowest level in more than two years. Core inflation, which excludes more volatile food and energy prices, also sank to 4.8%, its lowest level since October 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. The numbers are exactly what Federal Reserve officials were looking for amid their fight against stubborn inflation, which peaked at a four-decade high 9.1% annual rate in June of last year.
“There is nothing not to like in the report,” Ronald Temple, chief market strategist at Lazard, told Fortune. “It’s too early to pop the champagne, but it’s not too early to start chilling the bottle.”
The data underscores the Fed’s progress in fighting inflation after more than a year of interest rate hikes, but it also benefited from falling commodity prices and easy comparisons to last year, when inflation was running hot. Still, the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite responded positively to the latest inflation data Wednesday, rising 0.6% and 0.65%, respectively, by midday.
Rick Rieder, BlackRock’s chief investment officer of global fixed income and head of the BlackRock global allocation investment team, said there was a “notable moderation” in inflation in June, which is “good news for policymakers, markets and households overall.” But, like many of his peers, Rieder also believes 3% inflation isn’t enough for the Fed to stop its rate hikes just yet—there’s more work to do to get to the central bank’s 2% target rate.
“Overall, we think that the central banks, and especially the Fed, will want to see a more persistent trend of lower inflation than we have seen for a long while now,” he said. “Still, today was a good and healthy start to that trend.”
President Biden was quick to celebrate the latest inflation report amid consistent criticism over the rising cost of living throughout his presidency. “Good jobs and lower costs: That’s Bidenomics in action,” the White House said in a statement Wednesday. “Today’s report brings new and encouraging evidence that inflation is falling while our economy remains strong.”
A closer look
Looking under the hood at the latest inflation report reveals the typical mixed bag of deflationary and inflationary price categories in the economy.
On the inflationary side, the indexes for shelter, motor vehicle insurance, apparel, recreation, and personal care all increased month over month in June. Despite a deceleration in shelter prices from May, the shelter index was the largest contributor to CPI last month, accounting for more than 70% of the rise in inflation, the BLS reported. Shelter prices jumped 0.4% month over month, and 7.8% from a year ago.
But although CPI shelter prices continued to jump in June, the index is a lagging measure. Home prices have actually fallen consistently since the second quarter of last year.
“This means that if, as we expect, shelter costs start to weaken considerably during the second half of the year, the prospects for much lower inflation readings are looking promising,” Raymond James’ chief economist Eugenio Aleman said.
On the other hand, the indexes for airfares, communication, and household furnishings and operations all declined in June. Airfare prices sank 8.1% last month alone and have now declined at a 43% annualized rate over the last three months amid falling jet fuel prices and slowing domestic air travel.
A steep 5.2% year-over-year drop in used car and truck prices last month was also a major contributor to the first drop in core goods inflation since December 2022. “We think the June decline [in used car prices] is just the start of a series of decreases that should put downward pressure on core and headline inflation. Additionally, we have seen meaningful disinflation in core goods ex used cars of late,” Bank of America’s chief economist Michael Gapen wrote in a Wednesday note.
Gapen, who has been sounding the alarm about a pending recession due to stubborn inflation and the Fed’s rate hikes for over a year now, admitted that the latest inflation data came in “softer than expected.” But the veteran market watcher still fears investors are overly optimistic about the path ahead for consumer prices.
“We continue to believe that stickier, more persistent inflation versus what is priced is likely to challenge long duration positions,” he wrote.
What does this mean for the Federal Reserve?
The big question for investors, homebuyers, and businesses after the latest CPI report is clear: How will the Federal Reserve react? After more than a year of aggressive interest rate hikes led many economists to fear a recession was inevitable, is this report enough to convince Fed Chair Jerome Powell to change tactics?
Most experts Fortune spoke to said the answer is clearly no, and a July rate hike from the central bank is still on the way.
“CPI inflation slowed to 3% in June, but don’t expect the Fed to stop raising rates,” Morning Consult’s chief economist John Leer said. “The Fed cares primarily about the trend in core PCE inflation, which has been persistently elevated for the past six months. One month of encouraging CPI data isn’t enough for the Fed to make a dovish pivot, particularly as it seeks to maintain credibility with financial markets.”
And Thomas Simons, Jefferies’ U.S. economist, wrote in a Wednesday note to clients that although the latest CPI report is “encouraging in some respects,” labor market strength, rising wages, sticky service sector inflation, and easy comparisons from a year ago make “the data difficult to trust at face value.”
“The Fed seems locked in to a rate hike at the meeting on July 26, but future rate hikes will depend on a few key data releases in the months ahead, including the Employment Cost Index on July 28, and the employment and inflation data that is released in August,” he said. “If these continue to slow at the pace that we have seen in the CPI data of the past couple of months, then the July hike may prove to be the final move of the cycle.”
Steve Wyett, chief investment strategist at BOK Financial, was a little more bullish, arguing that today’s inflation numbers will keep the hope “alive” for a soft landing—where inflation fades without the need for a job killing recession.
“The risks to the economy remain in place, but today’s data should provide the Fed with an indication they might not have to do much more,” he told Fortune. “This won’t stop the Fed from acting at their meeting later this month, but it does help reduce fears of a Fed that might have to get more aggressive with rates than currently expected.”