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After the Cut, Powell’s Maybe-Maybe-Not December And Your Portfolio

The Fed trimmed rates, then Powell told everyone not to count on another one in December.

The committee is split, the data flow is messy, and markets are back to reading every sentence like it’s a treasure map.

Net net, the direction is easier policy, but the pace is now a game of wait and see.

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The Big Picture

Trade

America’s Trade Tension Finally Takes a Breather

A temporary easing in trade friction between Washington and Beijing is giving U.S. markets room to breathe.

Tariffs on imports are set to drop slightly.

At the same time, key exports such as soybeans and industrial materials are expected to resume, providing modest relief for supply chains that have been whiplashed by policy swings over the past year.

The move keeps manufacturing lines running, stabilizes port traffic, and gives businesses one less variable to juggle in their already complex cost equations.

Factories and Farmers Catch a Break

Lower import costs translate into lower component prices for U.S. manufacturers, especially in electronics and automotive production.

For farmers, the reopening of agricultural trade channels offers the potential for a rebound in exports after months of uncertainty.

Still, the gains will take time to filter through inventories are high, logistics are congested, and confidence remains cautious.

The Bigger Picture for the U.S. Economy

Every tariff tweak shifts momentum in America’s real economy.

Reduced trade frictions could soften inflationary pressures, stabilize volatile shipping costs, and lift corporate investment sentiment.

But the U.S. can’t fully exhale just yet — global supply chains remain one policy shock away from another reroute. For now, the truce buys time, not stability.

Commodities

The U.S. Coffee Economy Just Got a Jolt

Coffee roasters across the United States are draining their stockpiles as tariffs block one of their biggest suppliers.

With Brazil effectively priced out of the American market, the world’s caffeine capital is scrambling to refill its cups before inventories run dry.

The result is a brewing storm for an industry that fuels everything from office workdays to corner cafes, as importers race to source beans from pricier regions like Colombia and Vietnam.

A Price Surge Percolates Through the Economy

Higher import costs are filtering into grocery aisles, cafe menus, and inflation data.

Consumers are already paying significantly more for their morning pick-me-up, while roasters juggle thinner margins and rising storage expenses.

It’s another reminder that trade turbulence doesn’t just affect factories; it impacts breakfast tables, balance sheets, and consumer sentiment all at once.

America’s New Caffeine Equation

The United States consumes more coffee than any other nation, making bean prices a subtle yet powerful indicator of consumer sentiment.

If stockpiles continue to decline, the ripple effect could reach retail sales, restaurant demand, and even small business hiring.

The country may not run out of coffee, but it could soon discover how dependent its daily grind really is on smooth global trade.

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Economy

When the Government Stops, the Ripple Hits Every Paycheck

The federal shutdown is starting to take a toll on America’s economic strength.

Thousands of workers are sitting idle, contracts are paused, and projects are stalled, quietly draining billions from the gross domestic product. 

While the pause stretches, the drag continues on everything from small business sales to regional tax revenue.

The Domino Effect Behind Closed Doors

Every week without a functioning government, consumer confidence and cash flow are eroded.

Federal contractors delay payments, tourism dips around shuttered parks, and families living paycheck to paycheck feel the pinch first.

What begins as missed shifts soon ripples into missed mortgage payments and postponed investments.

Counting the Cost of Standing Still

Analysts warn that if the standoff lasts two months, it could erase up to $14 billion in output, wiping out a chunk of next year’s expected growth.

While the economy has proven resilient through shocks before, lost productivity is gone for good.

The price of political downtime is paid in real dollars by everyone still showing up to work.

Metrics to Watch

  • Fed follow-through, all week: After the cut, Powell said December is not a lock. Listen for “patient” and “data dependent,” not “full speed ahead.” Soft talk helps stocks and bonds, firmer talk can lift yields.

  • Price pressure check, company calls: Retailers and shippers will hint at what you actually pay, think groceries, clothes, household stuff. If they say “we’re taking price,” margins may hold but consumers feel it.

  • Hiring stand-ins, all week: With official jobs data thin, watch staffing firms, card-spend trackers, and any “freezing hiring” lines. Another soft week keeps the door open to more easing next year.

  • Trade headlines, daily: Washington says a China deal could be close, South Korea terms are “pretty much finalized.” Any real de-escalation helps global earners and supply chains, new friction does the opposite.

  • Energy pulse, daily: Fresh sanctions on big Russian suppliers can tighten flows. If crude grinds higher, airlines and chemicals feel it first, refiners and shippers usually benefit.

Market Movers

🪙 The Cut, With a Side of Caution: Rates are lower today, which helps valuations, but Powell kept December on probation. Favor quality tech and reliable compounders over moonshots.

🤝 Trade Talks, Two Tracks: South Korea says it has terms, China might be next. If tariffs ease, import-heavy retailers and manufacturers get a breather. If talks stall, expect more price creep and shipping delays.

🛢️ Oil in the Splash Zone: Sanctions on Russian majors tightened supply worries. A firmer oil tape can help refiners and pipelines, but it can pinch travel, packaging, and some consumer names.

🧑‍💻 White-Collar Chill: Big brands are trimming office jobs while leaning into automation. That cools wage pressure, which helps inflation, but it can dent confidence. Prefer businesses with tight costs and sticky demand.

🥇 Gold, Still the Drama Friend: After racing to records, it paused. If the dollar softens or headlines heat up, the shine returns. Keep it as a small hedge, not a personality trait.

Market Impacts

Equities: Futures are a bit red after a mixed tech scorecard and a rate cut that came with a caution label.

Alphabet cheered, while Meta and Microsoft spooked folks with big AI tabs. The takeaway is quality still rules.

Keep your core in profitable tech tied to the buildout of data centers, plus steady growers in health care and select shippers. Trim the thrill rides, add on boring red days.

Bonds: Yields ticked higher after Powell said a December cut is not a lock, with the 10-year back above 4 percent.

If you want income without drama, the two to five year pocket still makes sense.

Keep a small slice of long bonds as your break glass hedge if growth wobbles or supply headlines flare.

Currencies: The dollar firmed after Powell cooled the cut again soon story. Yen softened, the pound slipped as traders penciled in easier policy in the U.K.

If the data lean softer later this week, the dollar can ease again. Keep horizons short and respect headlines.

Commodities: Oil bounced on a big U.S. inventory draw and friendlier trade chatter, while sanctions and OPEC+ talk keep supply on the menu.

That setup favors refiners and midstream over the most volatile drillers.

Gold popped on the cut, then cooled when Powell tapped the brakes on December. It still works as a small insurance policy, but size it so a normal shakeout does not knock you out.

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Key Indicators to Watch

  • Initial Jobless Claims (Thu, 8:30 a.m. ET)- A clean read on layoffs while other reports are scarce. A calm number supports the “cooling, not cracking” view. A spike helps longer-duration bonds and usually dents cyclical stocks.

  • Q3 GDP, Advance (Thu, 8:30 a.m. ET) - Top-down pulse on growth. Stronger output supports earnings but can keep yields sticky. Softer growth helps bonds and defensives.

  • Core PCE Inflation (Fri, 8:30 a.m. ET) - The Fed’s preferred gauge. In line or cooler keeps the door ajar for another cut later. Hotter would firm the dollar and push front-end yields up.

  • Consumer Spending (Fri, 8:30 a.m. ET) - Cash register check. Solid spending offsets labor softness and helps discretionary. A miss pushes investors toward staples and utilities.

  • Employment Cost Index (Fri, 8:30 a.m. ET) - Wage pressure meter. Tamer costs are friendly for margins and bonds. A surprise pickup would make another near-term cut tougher.

Note: Some releases could slip if the shutdown lingers.

Everything Else

  • A Trump–Xi sit-down in Busan could thaw trade tensions a touch, with both sides hinting at narrower tariff relief in this APEC meeting update.

  • Private payrolls look sluggish, with ADP’s early read showing roughly 15k jobs a week and reminding everyone the labor market is easing.

  • India and the U.S. are testing a cautious thaw with selective tariff trims as New Delhi scales back Russian-oil purchases.

  • Over in Europe, the ECB is signaling steady rates for now, calling policy “in a good place” even with growth risks hanging around.

  • North of the border, the Bank of Canada trimmed again but hinted the cutting cycle may be near done.

That’s it for today’s edition—thanks for reading! Reply to this email with any feedback or let me know which macro trends or markets you’d like me to cover next.

Best Regards,
—Noah Zelvis
Macro Notes