The Fed's forecast for rate hikes was more hawkish than expected.

Even the usually implied volatility melt didn't help to lift stocks.

The S&P 500 could probably fall to around 3,100.

After several attempts to rein in the stock market, the Fed may have figured it out. The message was clear enough for a golden retriever(I have two) to understand. There was nothing cryptic or reading of the tea leaves to understand it.

Powell struck the point again, reiterating his stance at Jackson Hole about his commitment to reining in inflation, which would create below-trend growth rates and higher unemployment. What solidified this commentary was the FOMC summary of economic projections, which laid it all out very nicely.

There was nothing the equity market could cling to that it could twist and turn to make up some bullish narrative. It was what the Fed needed to deliver for financial conditions to tighten adequately and for the Fed to start to bring inflation down.

Federal Reserve

Old Games Didn't Work

Of course, the equity market tried to play its implied volatility melt in the middle of the trading session game, with the S&P 500 managing to rally by more than 2% off its post-FOMC lows. But still, what became clear was that sellers were in the market, and they could offset that usually implied volatility melt and sink stocks.

Bloomberg

Rates Will Go Much Higher

The Fed's plan to get rates to 4.4% this year was just too much for the stock market and not expected. Fed Fund Futures were only looking at 4% rates by December 2022. The Fed's projections were 40 bps higher than the market and about 1.25% higher than the Fed Fund Rate following today's 75 BPS rate hike. That means the market will need to price two additional rate hikes for the rest of 2022.

The Fed's projections for 4.6% for 2023 have also shifted the Fed Funds Futures peak terminal rate to 4.62% from 4.48% yesterday. Additionally, that peak rate is expected to come in May 2023 instead of April. But more importantly, as time passes, we should see those Fed Funds Futures begin to take the shape of the Fed's expected path.