幾個月來, 不斷有人預測美國將發(fā)生經(jīng)濟衰退,但美國銀行研究(Bank of America Research)卻罕見提供了一些樂觀的消息,其經(jīng)濟學家保證問題可能會自己解決。
隨著美國勞工統(tǒng)計局(Bureau of Labor Statistics)發(fā)布的數(shù)據(jù)顯示今年6月通脹同比漲幅達到9.1%,連續(xù)創(chuàng)下40年新高,美國銀行在7月13日改變了立場。該銀行分享了一篇最新美國經(jīng)濟觀點報告,預測美國今年將陷入經(jīng)濟衰退。
美國銀行的新任首席美國經(jīng)濟學家邁克爾·加彭領(lǐng)導的團隊寫道:“許多因素同時出現(xiàn),迅速減慢了經(jīng)濟發(fā)展勢頭,速度超出我們的預期。我們現(xiàn)在預測今年美國經(jīng)濟將陷入輕度衰退。”
加彭曾經(jīng)擔任巴克萊銀行(Barclays)的首席美國經(jīng)濟學家。他剛上任便語出驚人。
他的團隊特別強調(diào)了即將取消的財政支持、持續(xù)通脹和美聯(lián)儲(Federal Reserve)收緊激進貨幣政策等不利因素。因此,美國銀行在報告中預測,2022年下半年美國GDP增速下降。
雖然美國銀行的研究團隊指出,隨著美國逐步擺脫新冠疫情初期的陣痛,取消財政支持并不意外,但出乎他們意料的是通貨膨脹近期對消費者的影響。
今年6月,美國消費物價指數(shù)(勞工統(tǒng)計局的廣義通脹指數(shù))從5月的8.6%提高到9.1%,再創(chuàng)四十年新高。
美國銀行的團隊在報告中寫道:“近期通脹上漲的主要原因是食品和能源價格上漲,以及對大宗商品短期內(nèi)的相對非彈性需求,導致家庭可用于自由采購的資金減少?!?/p>
未來“更痛苦”
美國銀行此前曾經(jīng)預測,即使面臨通脹,消費將依舊強勁,而經(jīng)濟困境的原因可能是隨著美國走出新冠疫情陰霾所出現(xiàn)的持續(xù)波動。美國銀行的研究團隊在5月末發(fā)布的一份報告中寫道:“我們通過深入分析并沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)恐慌的理由?!边@份報告提出的主要觀點是,美國的經(jīng)濟現(xiàn)狀是消費者從商品消費向服務(wù)消費轉(zhuǎn)變所造成的。
但該團隊在7月13日的報告中寫道:“或許最令我們擔心的是服務(wù)消費趨勢?!彼麄冞€表示最新數(shù)據(jù)顯示,美國的消費增長勢頭不及預期?!拔覀円恢鳖A測商品消費將日益疲軟,但服務(wù)消費的疲軟卻在我們意料之外?!?/p>
由于通貨膨脹對消費者行為的影響遠超預期,該團隊在7月13日的報告中寫道,預計今年美聯(lián)儲將繼續(xù)激進加息。
報告稱:“我們對前景展望的修改表明,美聯(lián)儲迫不得已,將不得不接受更多痛苦。但如果事實證明我們對前景的預測是準確的,我們認為這是美國聯(lián)邦公開市場委員會(Federal Open Market Committee)的大多數(shù)參與者愿意付出的代價。”
美聯(lián)儲今年已經(jīng)三次加息,在3月首次加息25個基點。5月加息50個基點,6月加息75個基點,為自1994年以來美聯(lián)儲最大幅度的一次加息。
預計7月將再次加息75個基點,而且今年還將有多次加息,直到利率達到3.25%至3.5%之間,因此美國銀行預計,通脹水平將快速下降,盡管這意味著經(jīng)濟將陷入輕度衰退。
但研究團隊承認,其預測中依舊有經(jīng)濟短期內(nèi)持續(xù)強勁增長的空間。在這種情況下,美國銀行預測美聯(lián)儲將在2023年或2024年第二輪收緊貨幣政策。
研究團隊寫道:“如果我們對收入數(shù)據(jù)尤其是服務(wù)消費的堅挺程度的解讀不正確,我們可能錯在低估了當前的發(fā)展勢頭。如果是這樣,經(jīng)濟復蘇可能會持續(xù),GDP增長只會適度放緩,使美聯(lián)儲日后可以進行更多操作。”
盡管美國銀行的研究團隊更新了對經(jīng)濟衰退的預測,但他們在報告中明確指出,這種觀點需要對有時相互矛盾的數(shù)據(jù)進行分析。他們寫道:“我們分析了足夠多的數(shù)據(jù),預測美國在年底之前按照歷史標準將出現(xiàn)輕度衰退。但我們完全承認,預測過程涉及到我們的一些主觀評估,而這些評估可能被證明是錯誤的?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
幾個月來, 不斷有人預測美國將發(fā)生經(jīng)濟衰退,但美國銀行研究(Bank of America Research)卻罕見提供了一些樂觀的消息,其經(jīng)濟學家保證問題可能會自己解決。
隨著美國勞工統(tǒng)計局(Bureau of Labor Statistics)發(fā)布的數(shù)據(jù)顯示今年6月通脹同比漲幅達到9.1%,連續(xù)創(chuàng)下40年新高,美國銀行在7月13日改變了立場。該銀行分享了一篇最新美國經(jīng)濟觀點報告,預測美國今年將陷入經(jīng)濟衰退。
美國銀行的新任首席美國經(jīng)濟學家邁克爾·加彭領(lǐng)導的團隊寫道:“許多因素同時出現(xiàn),迅速減慢了經(jīng)濟發(fā)展勢頭,速度超出我們的預期。我們現(xiàn)在預測今年美國經(jīng)濟將陷入輕度衰退?!?/p>
加彭曾經(jīng)擔任巴克萊銀行(Barclays)的首席美國經(jīng)濟學家。他剛上任便語出驚人。
他的團隊特別強調(diào)了即將取消的財政支持、持續(xù)通脹和美聯(lián)儲(Federal Reserve)收緊激進貨幣政策等不利因素。因此,美國銀行在報告中預測,2022年下半年美國GDP增速下降。
雖然美國銀行的研究團隊指出,隨著美國逐步擺脫新冠疫情初期的陣痛,取消財政支持并不意外,但出乎他們意料的是通貨膨脹近期對消費者的影響。
今年6月,美國消費物價指數(shù)(勞工統(tǒng)計局的廣義通脹指數(shù))從5月的8.6%提高到9.1%,再創(chuàng)四十年新高。
美國銀行的團隊在報告中寫道:“近期通脹上漲的主要原因是食品和能源價格上漲,以及對大宗商品短期內(nèi)的相對非彈性需求,導致家庭可用于自由采購的資金減少。”
未來“更痛苦”
美國銀行此前曾經(jīng)預測,即使面臨通脹,消費將依舊強勁,而經(jīng)濟困境的原因可能是隨著美國走出新冠疫情陰霾所出現(xiàn)的持續(xù)波動。美國銀行的研究團隊在5月末發(fā)布的一份報告中寫道:“我們通過深入分析并沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)恐慌的理由。”這份報告提出的主要觀點是,美國的經(jīng)濟現(xiàn)狀是消費者從商品消費向服務(wù)消費轉(zhuǎn)變所造成的。
但該團隊在7月13日的報告中寫道:“或許最令我們擔心的是服務(wù)消費趨勢。”他們還表示最新數(shù)據(jù)顯示,美國的消費增長勢頭不及預期?!拔覀円恢鳖A測商品消費將日益疲軟,但服務(wù)消費的疲軟卻在我們意料之外。”
由于通貨膨脹對消費者行為的影響遠超預期,該團隊在7月13日的報告中寫道,預計今年美聯(lián)儲將繼續(xù)激進加息。
報告稱:“我們對前景展望的修改表明,美聯(lián)儲迫不得已,將不得不接受更多痛苦。但如果事實證明我們對前景的預測是準確的,我們認為這是美國聯(lián)邦公開市場委員會(Federal Open Market Committee)的大多數(shù)參與者愿意付出的代價?!?/p>
美聯(lián)儲今年已經(jīng)三次加息,在3月首次加息25個基點。5月加息50個基點,6月加息75個基點,為自1994年以來美聯(lián)儲最大幅度的一次加息。
預計7月將再次加息75個基點,而且今年還將有多次加息,直到利率達到3.25%至3.5%之間,因此美國銀行預計,通脹水平將快速下降,盡管這意味著經(jīng)濟將陷入輕度衰退。
但研究團隊承認,其預測中依舊有經(jīng)濟短期內(nèi)持續(xù)強勁增長的空間。在這種情況下,美國銀行預測美聯(lián)儲將在2023年或2024年第二輪收緊貨幣政策。
研究團隊寫道:“如果我們對收入數(shù)據(jù)尤其是服務(wù)消費的堅挺程度的解讀不正確,我們可能錯在低估了當前的發(fā)展勢頭。如果是這樣,經(jīng)濟復蘇可能會持續(xù),GDP增長只會適度放緩,使美聯(lián)儲日后可以進行更多操作?!?/p>
盡管美國銀行的研究團隊更新了對經(jīng)濟衰退的預測,但他們在報告中明確指出,這種觀點需要對有時相互矛盾的數(shù)據(jù)進行分析。他們寫道:“我們分析了足夠多的數(shù)據(jù),預測美國在年底之前按照歷史標準將出現(xiàn)輕度衰退。但我們完全承認,預測過程涉及到我們的一些主觀評估,而這些評估可能被證明是錯誤的。”(財富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
Through months of doomsaying chatter about an imminent recession, Bank of America Research has been a rare source of optimism, with its economists offering assurance that things might still sort themselves out.
The bank changed its tune on July 13, sharing a new U.S. economic viewpoint report that forecasts a recession this year, just as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released data showing that inflation hit 9.1% year over year in June, yet another 40-year high in a series of them.
“A number of forces have coincided to slow economic momentum more rapidly than we previously expected,” the team led by new head of U.S. economics Michael Gapen wrote. “We now forecast a mild recession this year.”
Gapen, who previously served as Barclays chief U.S. economist, started his tenure off with a big call.
His team highlighted headwinds including fading fiscal support, continued inflation, and aggressive monetary policy tightening by the Federal Reserve. As a result, the bank now expects a decline in GDP growth through the second half of 2022, according to the report.
While the Bank of America team noted that fading fiscal support was not unexpected as the U.S. moves further away from the initial pains of the pandemic, they were caught off guard by inflation’s recent impact on consumers.
In June, the U.S. consumer price index (CPI), the BLS’s broad inflation index, reached 9.1%, up from 8.6% in May and representing a new four-decade high.
“With much of the recent rise in inflation coming from food and energy prices, commodities that face relatively inelastic demand in the short run, households may have less available for discretionary purchases,” wrote the team in their report.
“More pain” seen ahead
Previously, Bank of America predicted that spending would remain robust in the face of inflation, and that economic woes could be explained by continued fluctuations as the U.S. emerged from the pandemic. “Digging deeper, we don’t see cause for alarm here,” wrote the team in a report released in late May that focused on the idea that the state of the economy could be explained by consumers shifting away from spending on goods to spending on services.
“Perhaps most worrisome to us is the trend in services spending,” the team wrote in July 13’s note, adding that new data show less momentum than expected. “Softer spending on goods has been part of our outlook for some time, but weakness in services was a surprise.”
Owing to the greater-than-expected impact of inflation on consumer behavior, the team wrote on July 13 that it expects the Fed to continue to impose aggressive interest rate hikes throughout this year.
“Our revised outlook suggests the Fed will indeed have to accept more pain than it wants,” wrote the team in their report. “But should our outlook prove accurate, we think it’s a price most FOMC [Federal Open Market Committee] participants would be willing to pay.”
The Fed has already instituted three rate hikes this year, starting with a 25 basis point increase in March. A 50 bps hike followed in May, and then a 75 bps hike in June—the bank’s largest since 1994.
With another 75 bps hike expected in July and more throughout the year until the rate lands somewhere between 3.25% and 3.5%, Bank of America now anticipates that inflation will moderate quickly, even if that means the economy will suffer a mild recession.
The team admits, however, that there’s still room in its forecast for the economy to continue on strong in the near term. In that case, BofA would expect a second round of monetary policy tightening by the Fed in 2023 or 2024.
“If we are wrong in our reading of incoming data, particularly about the strength in spending on services, then we have likely erred in the direction of underestimating current momentum,” wrote the team. “If so, then the recovery is likely to persist with GDP growth slowing only modestly, leaving the Fed with more work to do at a later date.”
Despite its updated forecast of a recession, the team makes clear in its report that this view requires analysis of at times conflicting data. “We have seen enough to project a fairly mild recession by historical standards before year-end,” wrote the team. “But we wholeheartedly acknowledge that this involves some subjective assessment on our part that could certainly be proven wrong.”