Fed Ignites Futures Traders With Surprising 50 Basis Point Rate Cut!
It was a wild afternoon for futures traders, especially after the Federal Reserve surprised some traders by lowering the Fed Funds rate by an aggressive 50 basis points to 4.75%. The FOMC vote was a unanimous 10-0 for the rate cut. The Fed also lowered the Discount Rate by 50 basis points to 5.25% – the second such cut in a month’s time. The news sparked an aggressive rally in Stock Index futures, with e-mini S&P 500 futures up well over 30 points at the peak. Bulls were also stampeding over to the metals sector, with December Gold trading over $730 per ounce, and December Silver leaping by nearly 25 cents. The energy complex was also sharply higher, with October Crude Oil futures moving above the $82.00 level for the first time. However, the cut was bad news for the U.S. Dollar, with the December Dollar index falling over 50 ticks at one point, as traders punished the greenback and the Japanese Yen. Long-term interest rate futures also posted sharp losses this afternoon. Traders now expect further interest rate cuts are in the offing, with March 2008 Eurodollar futures pricing in a 100% chance of a 4.5% Fed Funds rate by the first quarter of 2008, and an 88% chance of a 4.25% rate.
Mike Zarembski, Senior Commodity Analyst
