FOMC Minutes: Negative rates out of the question – UOB

Senior Economist at UOB Group Alvin Liew assessed the recent publication of the FOMC minutes.

Key Quotes

“The latest federal open market committee (FOMC) minutes revealed that the Fed pursued a ‘a forceful monetary policy response’ to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic by lowering the fed funds target rate (FFTR) by an unprecedented 100bps to 0.0-0.25% (global financial crisis (GFC) low), restarting quantitative easing (QE) and introducing various measures to ‘support the credit needs of households and businesses’.”

“As for policy guidance, the Fed pledged to maintain rates at the low rate until the economy has weathered the recent events (COVID-19) and return on track to achieve the FOMC’s dual mandates of maximum employment and price stability. There was no discussion on the prospect of negative rates.”

“The Fed has demonstrated it will do whatever it takes, beyond interest rate cuts and asset buying, to restore financial market stability, smooth out US dollar funding conditions and safe-guard the economy. That said, the Fed will do whatever it takes, except negative rates.”