Why the Fed Will Likely Stand Pat on Rates Today

Everyone's bets are placed for the outcome of tomorrow's FOMC statement and subsequent press conference. Final thoughts heading into the meeting:

I expect the Fed will pass on raising rates this meeting. This is a highly contentious issue, and reasonable arguments can be made for either case. Economists appear to be roughly split, while financial market participants taking the under with a roughly 25% probability of a rate hike. Whatever the outcome, roughly half of the economists on Wall Street will be wrong. Good thing, as misery loves company.

I believe FOMC participants will arrive at a consensus for the timing and direction of policy for subsequent meetings. The FOMC has had something of a luxury in that economic conditions have not forced them to choose a defined policy path. I believe they no longer have that luxury. They will need to commit policy to one side of the mandate or the other. At this meeting they will decide if their Phillips curve view of the world in concert with their estimate of the natural rate of unemployment dominates the fact that inflation continues to drift away from their target.

I expect the Fed will ultimately pledge allegiance to the Phillips curve. I think they believe that stable inflation is incompatible with sub-5% unemployment if short term interest rates remain at zero. Hence, they will signal that the first rate hike is imminent.

[Read: Two Unknowns: The Fed’s Action, and the Market’s Reaction]

Fed Chair Janet Yellen has the opportunity to prove her mettle. Assuming that I am correct that the Fed needs to forge a consensus, Yellen will be the guiding influence on that consensus. The best outcome for her is a consensus with no dissenting votes. That said, it may be that only an immediate rate hike would be acceptable to Richmond Federal Reserve President Jeffrey Lacker.

I expect Yellen will make a strong attempt to open the door for October. The Fed has established expectations that, outside of obvious exigent circumstances, they can only make major decisions when there is a scheduled press conference. Yellen will push back hard. Indeed, I think there is a possibility that this becomes the "rate hike" press conference in spirit, with the actual hike in October. Something to think about.

[Read also: Flying Mostly Blind Heading Into the September FOMC Meeting]

The Fed will try to take the sting out of any hawkish signals with a dovish message. I expect the terminal rate forecasts in the dot plot to drift lower. In addition, I expect Yellen will emphasize that low inflation provides room for a slow and halting pace of rate increases. (My expectation, however, is that assuming the first hike goes smoothly, subsequent hikes will come at regular intervals.) Finally, the estimate of the natural rate of unemployment may drift down further.

If I am wrong...two potential alternatives. First is that everything above remains the same, but they pull the trigger today. They tend not to surprise, but maybe this time is different. Maybe they don't need to built a consensus, although I think that unlikely. Second is that Yellen pushes the FOMC into a dramatically more dovish direction that re-emphasizes the issue of underemployment and shifts expectations to 2016. I don't think that is likely as I think she is fairly entrenched in the 5% NAIRU camp, but we will see tomorrow.

Enjoy the day's excitement!

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Professor of Economics
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