The dollar index (DXY00) on Monday fell by -0.32% and posted a new 1.5-month low. The dollar is under pressure from last Friday's weak US unemployment report and the increased expectations for Fed easing through year-end. The dollar is also being undercut by concerns over Fed independence, which could prompt foreign investors to dump dollar assets as President Trump attempts to fire Fed Governor Cook, and by Stephen Miran's intention to be a Fed Governor while still technically holding his White House job on the Council of Economic Advisors.
The markets are now pricing in a 15% chance of a 50 bp rate cut at the upcoming FOMC meeting on Sep 16-17, versus the previous expectations of a zero chance of that 50 bp rate cut. After the fully expected -25 bp rate cut at the Sep 16-17 FOMC meeting, the markets are now discounting an 81% chance of a second -25 bp rate cut at the Oct 28-29 meeting, up from a 54% chance as of late Thursday. The markets are now pricing in an overall -75 bp rate cut in the federal funds rate by year-end to 3.62% from the current 4.38% rate.
