Fed sees hope in inflation data while geopolitics explode — long Treasury bonds
Inflation came in slightly cooler than expected, giving the Fed a glimmer of hope. Meanwhile, a military strike in the Middle East is pushing investors toward safe assets. Both of these forces point toward higher bond prices.
Idea
Two forces are converging on bonds simultaneously. First, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge rose less than expected, and Governor Goolsbee sees a 'glimmer of hope,' which makes rate hikes less likely and bond prices more attractive. Second, the U.S. military strike on Iran creates a flight-to-safety bid — when geopolitical risk spikes, investors dump risky assets and buy government bonds. Treasury volatility is expected to increase, but the direction of that volatility is skewed toward lower yields (higher prices) because both the inflation and geopolitical data point the same way.