13/08/2021
Is the Fed about to make a Policy Error?
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/feds-bostic-says-he-favors-balanced-fast-approach-tapering-2021-08-09/
Understandably, with recent Inflation print surging to all-time highs (latest few prints show between 9% to almost 20% year-on-year depending on the metric), markets are betting on earlier tapering (and then rate hikes).
Interestingly, (rates) option traders are betting on a tail-event, which follows the previous taper-tantrum narrative.
Namely, there are huge Call-Options on Mar-2025 Fed -rates at 0.5% (compared to current market-pricing of 1.46%); with the concentrated expiry of March 2022.
Word-on-the-street bet on this option is : Fed tries to taper due to Inflation concerns, but (equity) market crashes and the Fed is then forced to walk-back on tapering... which by default, then collapses any chance of future rate hikes.