UBS: Fed meeting timing "awkward," postponement possible due to data release.
TL;DR
The Fed's December FOMC meeting may be postponed due to timing before key employment data releases, which could impact rate decisions. Historically, such adjustments are possible and might reduce uncertainty by allowing better data access.
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Odaily points out that the Federal Reserve faces a precarious situation regarding the timing of its December FOMC meeting: the meeting will be held before the release of two key employment reports, which are crucial data for determining whether to cut interest rates. This has prompted market discussions about the possibility that the Fed might postpone its December 10th meeting by a week to obtain key employment data before making a decision. Historically, adjusting the meeting date is not impossible; the Fed postponed meetings in 1971 and 1974 due to special circumstances. From a regulatory perspective, the Federal Reserve Act only requires the FOMC to hold at least four meetings annually, without making rigid provisions for date adjustments. UBS notes that historically, a single employment report has been enough to change the direction of monetary policy, while this time the Fed faces the risk of missing two reports. If the meeting is indeed postponed, it will increase policy uncertainty but may improve the quality of decision-making. (Jinshi)