Citi chief economist: Fed to cut 25 basis points for first time

Steven Wieting, chief economist, chief investment strategist and interim chief investment officer at Citi Wealth Management, believes the most likely outcome of this week's Fed decision is a 25 basis point cut, but he stresses that no one knows for sure what the Fed will do. "We expect a 25 basis point cut, but if Fed officials want to do it faster, we'll accept 50 basis points, and if they're willing to move quickly, they can cut rates quickly," he says. However, Steven Wieting pointed out that the Fed's rate-cutting history shows that the central bank will cut interest rates by 25 basis points when it merely adjusts monetary policy to suit current economic conditions; and when the economy is on the verge of recession, the Federal Reserve will usually cut rates more sharply.
Steven Wieting pointed out that since he expects the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by 200 basis points by mid-2025, a 25 or 50 basis point cut at this meeting is not a game-changer. What matters, he believes, is timing.