FOMC September: When a 90% Hike Becomes the Easy Part
I’m starting to think the biggest risk around this FOMC meeting isn’t the rate decision itself, but how comfortable the market has become with expecting it.
August core CPI rose 0.3% month-over-month, and the probability of a 25bp hike on September 16 moved to roughly 90%.
That changes the setup for me. When an outcome becomes this heavily anticipated, the market can react more to the information around the decision than to the decision itself.
If the Fed hikes and signals that inflation is still the main problem but further moves are not guaranteed, BTC and tech stocks could eventually find some relief. But if the message suggests September is only the beginning, higher yields could keep tightening financial conditions and make risk assets harder to price.
Gold has a different equation. Higher yields can create pressure, but persistent inflation can keep demand for defensive assets alive.
My approach is therefore simple: I’m not trying to predict the first five-minute candle. I’m watching the Fed’s forward signal, Treasury yields and how BTC behaves after the initial volatility.
The market already knows the likely decision. I’m watching for the information it doesn’t know yet.