POWELL SPEAKS
In a speech delivered at the Jackson Hole summit, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell stated, “the time has come for policy to adjust.” He noted that progress toward the Fed’s 2% inflation objective continues and that his “confidence has grown that inflation is on a sustainable path” toward that goal. On employment, Powell stated the labor market has cooled considerably from its overheated state and that the slowdown was “unmistakable.” He added the Fed does not “welcome further cooling in labor market conditions.”
Our Take: The Fed is at an important turning point in the fight against inflation. Chairman Powell’s dovish tone signals the first rate cut is not only on the table, but increasingly likely for the September meeting. With inflation continuing to moderate toward the Fed’s target and employment softening more than previously thought, the path forward has become more clear.
MUNICIPALS
As students return to school for the fall semester, colleges and universities continue to borrow at a rapid pace. Bloomberg estimates that sales of new issue municipal bonds to fund college and university projects have reached $22 billion in 2024, an increase of 97%.
Our Take: The increase of new issuance for colleges and universities should not come as a surprise. Moody’s Investors Service predicts that colleges and universities will need $750 to $950 billion over the next 10 years to pay for infrastructure improvements and deferred maintenance. Competition for new students will increase as the number of high school graduates is expected to decrease in coming years. Institutions are spending on new and upgraded facilities to attract new students.