US stocks bounced back on Tuesday after Jerome Powell assured investors that the Federal Reserve would bring inflation down as the economy continues to recover. He told the Senate Banking Committee that the central bank would not hesitate to take action if needed, adding that they will allow the balance sheet to exceed $ 8.77 trillion this year. "If we have to raise interest rates more over time, we will," Powell noted.
The S&P 50 halted a five-day decline, while Nasdaq outperformed other benchmark indices.
With the Fed targeting four rate hikes this year, traders are likely to resort to safe assets in order to protect themselves from the risk of a faster tightening. Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester and Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic already projected an increase in rates in March, while Kansas City Fed Governor Esther George said she is in favor of cutting the Fed's balance sheet early.
"Volatility is likely to return to Wall Street in 2022," said Paul Nolte, portfolio manager at Kingsview Investment Management. "Interest rates are likely to be the deciding factor as all the attention will be on the Fed. In the coming weeks, investors will focus on how much the interest rate will rise and when the Fed decides it's enough. "
Despite a bumpy start this year, strategists from Goldman Sachs continued to have optimistic forecasts. They believe that stocks can withstand higher rates and higher bond yields.
Other news to watch out for this week are:
- EIA report on crude oil reserves (Wednesday);
- China PPI amd CPI (Wednesday);
- US CPI and Fed Beige Book (Wednesday);
- US PPI and jobless claims (Wednesday);
- hearing on Lael Brainard's candidacy as Fed vice chairman (Thursday);
- speech of Fed presidents Thomas Barkin, Patrick Harker and Charles Evans (Thursday);
- policy decision of the Bank of Korea (Friday);
- corporate sales report from Wells Fargo, Citigroup and JPMorgan (Friday);
- US data on business stocks, manufacturing, consumer sentiment and retail sales (Friday);
- speech of New York Fed President John Williams (Friday).
