CITIGROUP believes the Federal Reserve will lower the benchmark US federal funds target rate by at least 100 basis points at its policy-setting meeting in a bid to stabilise financial markets, the bank said on Friday.
'Strong consideration ought to be given to an even larger reduction,' Citigroup economists said in research report titled 'Clear and Present Danger'.
US stocks fell sharply and bonds rallied on Friday in response to news that JPMorgan and New York Fed will offer financing to rescue Bear Stearns which has struggled under rising losses from its subprime mortgage exposure.
This move 'underscores the currently fragility of the system', Citigroup economists wrote in the report.
Wall Street widely predicted that the Federal Open Market Committee will lower the fed funds target to at least 2.50 per cent on Tuesday.
Credit Suisse economists revised their prediction on how far the Fed will cut rates. They now see the US central bank lowering its fed funds target by at least 100 basis points this year including a 75-basis-point cut next Tuesday. A week ago, they had forecast a 50-basis-point cut.
Late Friday, US interest rate futures implied traders are placing a 60 per cent chance that the Fed would lower the benchmark short-term target rate 100-basis-points by Tuesday
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