After his pressure on the Federal Reserve faltered, Trump turned to gas stations, urging oil companies to lower gasoline prices to $2.50 per gallon.
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Opinion: Warsh should publicly resist Trump's pressure on the Federal Reserve and uphold the central bank's independence.
According to Mars Finance, on July 6th, Bloomberg columnist Jonathan Levin published an article stating that US President Trump and his allies are continuously pushing to influence Federal Reserve decisions through personnel changes, including attempting to replace Fed Governor Lisa Cook and interfering in the selection of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta president, in order to expand the influence of White House supporters on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). Levin believes that Kevin Warsh, considered a leading candidate for the next Fed chair, should publicly oppose White House interference, support Jerome Powell and Cook to complete their terms, and demand that the White House withdraw from the selection process for regional Fed presidents; otherwise, his future credibility in leading the Fed and his influence within the committee will be weakened. The Fed's independence is key to maintaining stable inflation expectations and the credibility of monetary policy; continued political interference could damage the stability of the US macroeconomy.
Bloomberg ETF analyst: US stocks are "too big to fail," and the Federal Reserve may purchase stock ETFs to rescue the market.
PANews reported on July 7th that Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg, released research stating that the US stock market is gradually becoming a de facto "retirement fund" for Americans. With approximately 55% of Americans holding stocks and the "Trump Accounts" program expected to add about 28 million new investors, the link between the stock market and household wealth, pensions, and social stability is becoming increasingly close. He believes that in the next major bear market, the Federal Reserve is highly likely to purchase stock ETFs for the first time to stabilize the market, similar to its purchase of corporate bond ETFs in 2020, and the actions of the central banks of Japan and China. Balchunas believes that future political pressure will make a prolonged bear market increasingly intolerable, and the continued inflow of funds into ETFs on dips and investors' widespread expectation of government intervention also reflect this trend.
Bitunix analysts: The Federal Reserve has downplayed policy guidance, with "uncertainty premium" becoming the main battleground, rather than the interest rate path.
According to BlockBeats, on July 7th, the focus of global markets is gradually shifting from interest rate direction to policy communication methods. Federal Reserve Governor Waller stated that forward guidance should not be a fixed framework and could even be completely eliminated if necessary, reiterating that the central bank will not deliberately maintain low interest rates to address government fiscal deficits. This means that the market will rely more on real-time economic data rather than pre-determined interest rate paths from central banks, reducing policy predictability. It also means that asset prices will become increasingly sensitive to inflation, employment, and economic data, and market volatility may refocus during periods of major data releases. On the other hand, Middle East risks have escalated again. Reports of missile attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz have surfaced again, threatening to shatter the previously established window of easing tensions between the US and Iran. Trump reiterated that he would not rule out escalating military action if negotiations fail. However, Saudi Arabia lowered its official selling price for crude oil to the Asian market in August, reflecting relatively ample supply. The energy market is currently still oscillating between "geopolitical risks" and "supply easing," and whether oil prices can rebound in the short term depends on whether the conflict further impacts actual supply. On the other hand, the issues of Japanese debt pressure and the continued weakening of the yen have resurfaced, and market doubts about the Bank of Japan's policy space have not subsided. The trend of global capital flowing into high-yield dollar assets has not changed significantly. For the crypto market, what truly deserves attention is not a single event, but the loss of the "certainty" provided by central bank forward guidance. As policy begins to rely entirely on data, geopolitical risks escalate, and global liquidity remains tight, the crypto market will continue to be primarily driven by changes in risk appetite and liquidity momentum in the short term. Price movements will continue to be repeatedly disrupted by macroeconomic events and market sentiment. Until capital flows truly form a unified direction, a cautious stance is expected to persist.
Trump pressures retailers to cut prices to combat inflation, demanding supermarkets lower beef prices.
According to a report by the WSJ on July 8th, the Trump administration recently pressured major supermarket chains such as Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons to lower beef prices during the Independence Day shopping season to alleviate food inflation pressures. Walmart subsequently announced price reductions on thousands of items, with ground beef prices dropping by up to 12%. Trump later stated that Walmart was lowering prices "at the request of the government" and called on other retailers to follow suit. This action is part of the Trump administration's efforts to control inflation. In addition to pushing for lower food prices, Trump has previously called for lower gasoline prices, capped credit card interest rates, and reduced drug prices, hoping to alleviate voter dissatisfaction with high prices before the midterm elections. However, with U.S. cattle herds at a 75-year low, tight supply continues to push up beef prices. U.S. ground beef prices rose 12% year-on-year in May, indicating that food inflation pressures have not yet fully eased.
Federal Reserve's Williams: Strong investment in AI is expected to continue.
According to BlockBeats, on July 7th, Federal Reserve official Williams stated that he expects to continue seeing strong investment in artificial intelligence, that risks in the labor market are relatively balanced, and that his recent outlook on inflation is more positive due to energy prices. He added that the direction of monetary policy depends on data and risks, and that the Fed is prepared to achieve its goals. (Jinshi)
Bloomberg: Trump's strategic Bitcoin reserve plan faces legal and jurisdictional obstacles.
According to Odaily, the strategic Bitcoin reserve program promoted by US President Trump is facing legal and jurisdictional issues, with the core controversy being whether the US Treasury Department has the legal right to manage the reserve. Early in his presidency, Trump proposed establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve, primarily funded by the U.S. government's criminal or civil seizures of existing Bitcoin holdings, and a separate digital asset inventory. Related executive orders also required the Treasury and Commerce Departments to develop a "budget-neutral" Bitcoin acquisition strategy, meaning it should not increase taxpayer costs. However, sources say the debate surrounding the reserve has now shifted to whether it should be placed under the Commerce Department, rather than the Treasury Department. Another point of contention is whether the U.S. government can hold BTC "indefinitely," given its price volatility. White House spokeswoman Liz Huston said the Trump administration is still evaluating the optimal structure for its strategic Bitcoin reserve and U.S. digital asset inventory to deliver on its vision of making the U.S. a global hub for cryptocurrency and cutting-edge technology. (The Block)