NAB Morning Call

Optimism. But why?

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Episode notes

Friday 24th September 2021 There’s been a big shift to risk-on overnight, with equities rising and bonds falling, pushing yields much higher in the US and across Europe. But why? The risk of Evergrande remains and with the Fed eyeing jobs data, a rise in weekly jobless claims was hardly a good sign this morning. NAB’s Gavin Friend says part of it is a reaction to the clearer roadmap for the Fed, assuming the next payrolls numbers are strong. Markets were also responding to the Bank of England, who expect inflation in the UK to reach 4 percent this year and that could strengthen the case for “modest tightening of monetary policy”. But if prices are rising because of supply constraints, does a rate hike really make sense?