International News

WASHINGTON, (MILLAT+APP/AFP): Donald Trump’s surprise victory in
the US presidential race raises new questions over Federal Reserve policy in the short run and the central bank’s vital operational independence over the longer term.
How his proposed, dramatic policy shifts impact the economy could
influence Fed plans to resume raising interest rates after a year’s hiatus, which was widely expected to begin in December.
Meanwhile, Trump’s sharp attacks on the Fed and especially Chair
Janet Yellen during the campaign, some worry, could lead to greater political interference in monetary policy.
“We are in a big, fat, ugly bubble. And we have a Fed that’s doing
political things, this Janet Yellen of the Fed,” Trump charged during the
campaign.
“The day (President Barack) Obama goes out … to the golf course for
the rest of his life to play golf, when they raise interest rates, you are going to see some very bad things happen,” he said.
In fact, the Fed has been hinting at raising rates for months and
prior to the election most expectations were that it would do so in its December policy meeting.
But that was when Democrat Hillary Clinton, who espoused continuity
in economic policy, was expected to win Tuesday.
With the Trump victory, some analysts say a rate increase could again be off the table.
“As of right now, the chance of a December hike probably is no more
than one in three,” said Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics.
Paul Ashworth, of Capitol Economics, however said it depends on how
the markets generally respond to Trump’s election.
If the markets turn negative and stay there, he said, “the Fed will hold off in December.”