Federal Reserve meetings are always among the most anticipated and closely scrutinized events in the investment community, as specific decisions on key interest rates and more general observations on the state of the economy have the power to set off waves of either buying or selling on Wall Street and around the globe. Central bank meetings have lost a bit of their luster in the last year, as ongoing concerns of a double-dip recession and weak fundamentals in the economy have essentially removed any possibility of a rate hike and taken much of the suspense out of the gathering.
Most equity markets have found their footing, and seemingly sustainable recoveries are underway. With anxiety rising over the long-term impact of the capital injections used to stimulate global markets over the last two years, many investors have anticipated that the Fed’s hand would ultimately be forced to boost rates from record lows in coming months. Last month’s revelation that core CPI actually fell for the first time in nearly 30 years may allow Bernanke & Co. to put off rate hikes for a few more months, but investors remain anxious to hear thoughts on how the recovery is progressing (see Five ETFs For The Great Deflation).
In fact, one of the biggest questions facing markets this year relates to how governments will wind down the massive stimulus plans implemented at the height of the recession. As such, central bank meetings around the world will once again take center stage, and investors will resume scrambling to analyze every word and predict the ramifications of various proposals for “exit plans.”
Australia has already begun raising rates, and several Asian economies are expected to follow suit in coming months. While many other nations are expected to leave rates unchanged for the time being, upcoming meetings could nevertheless shed some lights on strategies for weaning economies off of stimulus support.
Currency ETFs In Focus
| Central Bank | Meeting Date | Currency ETF |
|---|---|---|
| ECB | March 4th | FXE, EU |
| Bank of England | March 4th | FXB |
| Reserve Bank of New Zealand | March 10th | BNZ |
| Swiss National Bank | March 11th | FXF |
| Bank of Japan | March 16th | FXY |
| Federal Reserve | March 16th | UUP |
| Bank of Brazil | March 17th | BZF |
| Bank of Mexico | March 19th | FXM |
Central bank meetings are also major events for currency investors, as expectations for changes in interest rates available in certain countries can have a major impact on the relative strength of the related currency. With nearly every major central bank of any importance meeting this month, March looks to be a busy time for currency ETFs as well.
Australia and Canada have already kicked off the month, with Australia raising rates to 4.00% and Canada leaving rates unchanged at 0.25%. The CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust (FXA) surged on news of the rate hike, and has now gained about 1.2% on the week.
But Canada and Australia were just warmups for a full slate of central bank meetings, kicking off tomorrow with the European Central Bank and Bank of England and leading up to the Fed’s March meeting mid-month. Depending on the outcomes of these meetings, March could be a very interesting month that sets the stage for the rest of 2010.
Disclosure: No positions at time of writing.
ETF Database is not an investment advisor, and any content published by ETF Database does not constitute individual investment advice. The opinions offered herein are not personalized recommendations to buy, sell or hold securities. From time to time, issuers of exchange-traded products mentioned herein may place paid advertisements with ETF Database. All content on ETF Database is produced independently of any advertising relationships. Read the full disclaimer here.
Are you enjoying ETF Database?
Get more articles like this one via our free daily e-mail newsletter or RSS feed.
Get access to special reports including How To Pick The Right ETF Every Time and Seven Simple & Cheap ETF Model Portfolios.
