To the chagrin of savers and big banks, it seems unlikely the Fed will raise rates this week. At the end of last week, European Central Bank president Mario Draghi commented there may be a need for increased monetary policy easing, and China's central bank lowered interest rates and reserve requirements. With the global economy struggling, unemployment relatively low, and the US dollar already strong, it will be tough for the Fed to justify a rate hike. In fact, the CME FedWatch is now calculating only a 5.7% chance the Fed will raise rates at its next meeting.
Our Blue Harbinger Stocks strategy is positioned to profit no matter what the Fed decides on interest rates. And our Blue Harbinger Options strategy is very aware of how the Fed decision will impact net interest margins and the stock prices of big banks in particular.