Goldman pivots, now forecasts Fed rate hike in October

Goldman Sachs now expects the Federal Reserve to raise its benchmark interest rate again in October, a 180-degree pivot from its earlier call for a September hike followed by a pause.

The shift comes after the Fed on Wednesday lifted rates by 25 basis points to a 3.75%–4.00% target range. The central bank’s updated rate projections revealed a strong majority of policymakers expecting at least one more increase this year.

At the post-meeting press conference, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh struck a hawkish tone, saying inflation remains “too high” and that the latest hike merely removed a “dose of accommodation,” implying policy is still not restrictive enough and more rate hikes may be in the pipeline.

As of this writing, traders are pricing just over 50% chance of another 25 basis points hike in October, according to the CME’s FedWatch tool.

Bitcoin continues to trade near $76,260, up just 0.5% on a 24 hour basis.