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How the Fed Affects Interest Rates

June 23, 2022 by Frank Kaberna| Tips & Strategies

Last week, the Federal Open Market Committee held their fourth meeting of the year where they hiked the Federal Funds Rate – a benchmark for short-term interest rates in the US – by 0.75% (75 bps); this was the largest hike by the Fed in more than 20 years.* So why did it send interest rates lower?

S2Y \ Small 2YR Yield Futures Historical Prices

Source: dxFeed (https://dxfeed.com)

While the Fed only directly affects the Fed Funds Rate, changes made to that interest rate can affect popular interest rate trading markets like US Treasuries. However, on June 15, 2022 – the day the Fed hiked rates by 0.75% – Small 2YR US Treasury Yield (S2Y) futures fell by the equivalent of -0.23% in 2YR US Treasury interest rates, which are often highly correlated with Fed Funds Rates.

If the Fed is one of the most influential voices in interest rate pricing, then how can interest rate markets move lower on the actual day that the Fed hiked rates? Futures and options have a time component that requires traders to think steps ahead, and you can see by the price action in S2Y futures leading up to the actual event that this hike had been priced in for a while.

Interest Rate Futures: How They Work

On days when the Fed isn’t hiking or cutting rates, interest rate futures largely move based on where traders think rates are headed. You can think of the day-to-day interest rate price action as efficiently getting closer and closer to what the Fed will do in the future, and this process is informed by employment data, inflation data, the state of the stock market, and more. For example, Small 2YR Yield futures rose the equivalent of +2.40% from January 1, 2022, to the Fed Rate Hike Day last Wednesday, while the Fed has only hiked rates 1.50% in the same time. The difference is owing to future rate hikes already priced into the market.

Interest Rate Price Action

Market Symbol Start of Year to Fed Rate Hike Day Fed Rate Hike Day
Small 2YR Yield Futures S2Y +24.00 (+2.40%) -2.30 (-0.23%)
Small 10YR Yield Futures S10Y +16.50 (+1.65%) -1.90 (-0.19%)
Small 20YR Yield Futures S30Y +15.00 (+1.50%) -0.90 (-0.09%)

Source: dxFeed (https://dxfeed.com)

What to Expect from The Fed

The move lower in rates coming out of the Fed meeting owed to Fed Chair Powell’s talking down of large rate hikes in the future. Though projections still state that the Fed will continue to move Fed Funds Rates higher, those projections came down slightly after Powell’s press conference.

Interest Rate Projections for End of 2022

Values taken on 6/17/22 Source: CME Group (https://cmegroup.com)

Derivatives trading can seem daunting at times given that you must be positioning yourself for what’s next, but the question in rates seems pretty straightforward: Do you buy into the mania of much higher interest rates being required to quell inflation (buy S2Y), or do you think the inflation madness has peaked and rates will revert (sell S2Y)?

*Source: The Federal Reserve (https://federalreserve.gov)

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To learn more about how the Small Exchange is merging the efficiency of futures with the clarity of stocks, make sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel and follow them on Twitter so you never miss an update.

© 2022 Small Exchange, Inc. All rights reserved. Small Exchange, Inc. is a Designated Contract Market registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The information in this advertisement is current as of the date noted, is for informational purposes only, not intended as a recommendation, and does not contend to address the financial objectives, situation, or specific needs of any individual investor.  The information presented here is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to serve as investment advice since the availability and effectiveness of any strategy is dependent upon your individual facts and circumstances. Trading in derivatives and other financial instruments involves risk.

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Filed Under: Tips & Strategies

About Frank Kaberna

Frank Kaberna is the head content strategist at the Small Exchange. He produces everything from brochures to videos that inform on the Small Exchange’s products. After earning a mathematics degree from the University of Michigan, Frank traded interest rates at the Chicago Board of Trade. He then worked on the tastytrade Network as a content producer and on-air talent before landing at the Small Exchange.

Risk Disclosure

The StoneX Group Inc. group of companies provides financial services worldwide through its subsidiaries, including physical commodities, securities, exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives, risk management, global payments and foreign exchange products in accordance with applicable law in the jurisdictions where services are provided. References to over-the-counter (“OTC”) products or swaps are made on behalf of StoneX Markets LLC (“SXM”), a member of the National Futures Association (“NFA”) and provisionally registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as a swap dealer. SXM’s products are designed only for individuals or firms who qualify under CFTC rules as an ‘Eligible Contract Participant’ (“ECP”) and who have been accepted as customers of SXM. StoneX Financial Inc. (“SFI”) is a member of FINRA/NFA/SIPC and registered with the MSRB. SFI does business as Daniels Trading/Top Third/Futures Online. SFI is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as a Broker-Dealer and with the CFTC as a Futures Commission Merchant and Commodity Trading Adviser. References to securities trading are made on behalf of the BD Division of SFI and are intended only for an audience of institutional clients as defined by FINRA Rule 4512(c). References to exchange-traded futures and options are made on behalf of the FCM Division of SFI.

Trading swaps and over-the-counter derivatives, exchange-traded derivatives and options and securities involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors. The information herein is not a recommendation to trade nor investment research or an offer to buy or sell any derivative or security. It does not take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation or needs and does not create a binding obligation on any of the StoneX group of companies to enter into any transaction with you. You are advised to perform an independent investigation of any transaction to determine whether any transaction is suitable for you. No part of this material may be copied, photocopied or duplicated in any form by any means or redistributed without the prior written consent of StoneX Group Inc.

© 2023 StoneX Group Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Risk Disclosure

The StoneX Group Inc. group of companies provides financial services worldwide through its subsidiaries, including physical commodities, securities, exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives, risk management, global payments and foreign exchange products in accordance with applicable law in the jurisdictions where services are provided. References to over-the-counter (“OTC”) products or swaps are made on behalf of StoneX Markets LLC (“SXM”), a member of the National Futures Association (“NFA”) and provisionally registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as a swap dealer. SXM’s products are designed only for individuals or firms who qualify under CFTC rules as an ‘Eligible Contract Participant’ (“ECP”) and who have been accepted as customers of SXM. StoneX Financial Inc. (“SFI”) is a member of FINRA/NFA/SIPC and registered with the MSRB. SFI does business as Daniels Trading/Top Third/Futures Online. SFI is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as a Broker-Dealer and with the CFTC as a Futures Commission Merchant and Commodity Trading Adviser. References to securities trading are made on behalf of the BD Division of SFI and are intended only for an audience of institutional clients as defined by FINRA Rule 4512(c). References to exchange-traded futures and options are made on behalf of the FCM Division of SFI.

Trading swaps and over-the-counter derivatives, exchange-traded derivatives and options and securities involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors. The information herein is not a recommendation to trade nor investment research or an offer to buy or sell any derivative or security. It does not take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation or needs and does not create a binding obligation on any of the StoneX group of companies to enter into any transaction with you. You are advised to perform an independent investigation of any transaction to determine whether any transaction is suitable for you. No part of this material may be copied, photocopied or duplicated in any form by any means or redistributed without the prior written consent of StoneX Group Inc.

© 2023 StoneX Group Inc. All Rights Reserved

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