ZINGER KEY POINTS
- August PCE inflation report shows 3.5% YoY increase, matching expectations.
- Personal income and spending both rise in August, aligning with market forecasts.
The Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Price Index report for August — the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge — released Friday delivered mixed results, keeping investors on edge over the future of Fed’s decisions on interest rates.
August PCE Inflation Report: Key Highlights
- The headline PCE price index increased from an upwardly revised 3.4% in July to 3.5% year-on-year in August 2023, matching the expected 3.5% and marking the second consecutive monthly rise.
- The month-over-month change in the PCE price index was 0.4%, a notable jump from July’s 0.2% increase but below the expected 0.5%.
- Excluding energy and food items from the basket, the core PCE price index dropped from 4.2% in July to 3.9% year-on-year in August, as expected. It marks the lowest core inflation reading since September 2021.
- The month-over-month variation in the core PCE price index fell to 0.1%, slightly below both the previous reading and economists’ consensus of 0.2%.
Simultaneously , the Bureau of Economic Analysis announced that personal income saw a 0.4% increase in August 2023, aligning with the market consensus and following a 0.2% rise in July. Personal spending also saw a 0.4% month-over-month increase, in accordance with market predictions, and following an upwardly adjusted 0.9% surge in July.
Treasury yields saw a slight decline ahead of New York market open, following weeks of significant increases. The yield on the 10-year note dropped by 4 basis points to reach 4.53%.
Following the PCE release, traders assigned an 85% probability to the Fed maintaining interest rates steady the upcoming November FOMC meeting. Market-implied probabilities for the December Fed meeting stand at 67% for no change and 33% for an interest rate hike.
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Originally Posted September 29, 2023 – August PCE Inflation Report: Headline Matches Forecasts At 3.5%, Core Falls To 3.9%
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