🚨 BEFORE MARKETS OPEN MONDAY, LOOK AT WHAT THE FED IS FACING
Markets reopen Monday after another warning from the inflation data
September CPI rose 3.7% from a year earlier, up from 3.4% in August
Prices jumped 0.6% in a SINGLE MONTH
The Fed already raised rates to 3.75% to 4% in September
Its next decision comes on OCTOBER 28
And the choices are getting harder
If inflation stays hot, FURTHER TIGHTENING remains a risk
That would keep pressure on borrowing costs, corporate profits and companies that need to refinance
The US government faces the same financing problem on a much larger scale
FEDERAL DEBT IS ABOVE $40 TRILLION
As cheaper debt matures, replacing it at higher yields adds to the interest bill
That pressure builds over time
But cutting rates before inflation is under control carries another risk
If investors become less confident that inflation will come down, they can demand higher yields to lend for 10, 20 or 30 years
The Fed can cut its overnight rate while LONG-TERM BORROWING COSTS STAY PAINFULLY HIGH
That is why I’m watching the bond market
The 10-year Treasury yield is STILL ABOVE 5%
The Benner chart marks 2026 as a year of HIGH PRICES AND SELLING
I’m watching the inflation and bond data alongside it
Japan has already seen its 30-year yield hit a RECORD 4.235% earlier this month
Now Japan heads into another ¥700 billion 20-year bond auction on Tuesday
Demand will show what price investors are willing to accept for holding that debt
Meanwhile, the New York Fed has up to $5.48 BILLION in Treasury bill purchases scheduled next week, starting Monday
Those purchases are PLANNED REINVESTMENTS of principal repayments
They do not mark the start of a rate-cutting cycle
The risk to watch is a renewed rise in long-term yields while earnings or growth expectations weaken
That combination can hurt stocks and long-dated bonds TOGETHER
If leveraged investors then face margin calls, selling can spread to otherwise unrelated assets, including gold and Bitcoin
Falling prices → Margin calls → FORCED SELLING → More pressure
That is a scenario to monitor as the next Fed meeting approaches
A green candle won’t tell you whether refinancing has become cheaper
WATCH THE YIELDS
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