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NewslettersCEO Daily

The era of free money may finally be ending

By Jackson Fordyce and
Alan Murray
Alan Murray
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By Jackson Fordyce and
Alan Murray
Alan Murray
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 13, 2023, 3:17 AM ET
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 23, 2023 in New York City.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 23, 2023 in New York City. Spencer Platt—Getty Images

Good morning.

Lots of news on the inflation and interest rate front yesterday. The consumer price report showed prices up only 5% over the past year. Meanwhile, minutes of the Fed’s meeting last month suggested central bankers are prepared to raise the Fed funds rate again in May to a range of 5 to 5.25%. That could mark the end of an extraordinary 13-year period of negative “real” rates—with a Fed funds rate lower than the rate of inflation. The era of free money may finally be ending.

Monetary “doves” will quickly point out that what matters is not inflation in the last 12 months but inflation in the next 12 months, and there’s a possibility that tighter credit conditions in the wake of the banking crisis will cause inflation to drop. Hawks, on the other hand, will point out that “core” inflation—minus volatile food and energy prices—actually rose 5.6% over the year, and the unemployment rate remains at a stunningly low 3.5%, which will continue to put upward pressure on wages.

I’ve argued here that history offers little reason to believe inflation can be tamed with real interest rates at zero or below. Perhaps this time is different. But if it is, it may only be because the banking crisis has given the Fed an assist, pushing the economy into recession.

Either way, the outcome is the same: expect the next 12 months to be a tough time for the U.S. economy. A correction to an era of unprecedented fiscal and monetary policy is due.

More news below. And read why Warren Buffett dumped his holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) here.


Alan Murray
@alansmurray

alan.murray@fortune.com


TOP NEWS

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Many companies are responding to labor shortages and rising wages in the U.S. by outsourcing jobs overseas. Economist Nicholas Bloom estimates that 10% to 20% of service support jobs could move abroad in the next decade. Although office offshoring is not a new phenomenon, companies are now sending more highly skilled jobs abroad due to difficulty hiring and obtaining visas for foreign employees. Wall Street Journal

Seniority rules

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AROUND THE WATERCOOLER

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How much money you need to make to live comfortably in America's 10 most expensive cities by Chloe Berger

This edition of CEO Daily was edited by Jackson Fordyce. 

This is the web version of CEO Daily, a newsletter of must-read insights from Fortune CEO Alan Murray. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.

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