Markets Spike After Fed Chair Says It ‘Makes Sense to Moderate the Pace’ of Rate Hikes, Hints Easing Could Happen in December

Equities, precious metals, and cryptocurrencies shined on Wednesday following Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell’s speech at the Brookings Institution in Washington. The crypto economy increased 3.11% to $860 billion, while the top four stock indexes jumped between 2% to 5% higher on Nov. 30.

On the last day of November, the U.S. central bank’s chief Jerome Powell offered a “progress report on the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) efforts.” The Fed chair’s speech at the Brookings Institution in Washington hinted at the possibility of smaller rate hikes starting in December.

“It makes sense to moderate the pace of our rate increases as we approach the level of restraint that will be sufficient to bring inflation down,” Powell said. “The time for moderating the pace of rate increases may come as soon as the December meeting.”

After Powell’s speech, equity markets spiked and cryptocurrencies and precious metals followed suit. A troy ounce of .999 fine gold jumped 1.15% higher during the last 24 hours, while an ounce of fine silver rose by 4.45%, according to the New York Spot Market Price. Gold is currently exchanging hands at $1,770 per ounce and silver is swapping for $22.27 per ounce.

Gold bug and economist, Peter Schiff, added his two cents about Powell’s commentary on Wednesday afternoon. “Investors are no longer buying what Powell is selling,” Schiff said via Twitter. Schiff remarked that “not only will the economy crash” but it will also be “another financial crisis,” the economist opined.

All four major stock indexes rallied on Wednesday afternoon as well following Powell’s speech. Nasdaq, the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and NYSE were all up between 2% and close to 5% higher against the U.S. dollar. Equities investors believe Powell plans to settle down with large rate hikes following his commentary at Brookings Institution.

Powell’s statements, however, noted that restrictive policy is still needed to remain in place for quite some time. “It is likely that restoring price stability will require holding policy at a restrictive level for some time,” Powell detailed. “History cautions strongly against prematurely loosening policy. We will stay the course until the job is done,” the Fed chair added.

Cryptocurrencies also benefitted after Powell’s speech as the entire crypto economy increased 3.11% against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday afternoon. Bitcoin (BTC) rose above the $17K per unit zone, rising 3.43% against the greenback. Ethereum (ETH) jumped 5.66% higher on Wednesday nearing the $1,300 per unit range.

What do you think about the market reaction to Jerome Powell’s speech on Wednesday? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.