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Kevin Warsh Takes Over the Fed With a Plan to Shrink Its Balance Sheet

Investors are bracing for higher long‑term rates on the prospect of Fed asset sales.

Overview

  • Warsh, confirmed by the Senate and now chair of the Federal Reserve, is prioritizing a sharp cut in the central bank’s holdings toward about $3 trillion from roughly $6.7 trillion.
  • Markets shifted after his nomination and early comments, with Treasury yields jumping as the 30‑year moved above 5.1% and the two‑year rose past 4.0%.
  • Futures tied to the Fed’s policy rate show investors pulling back expectations for quick cuts, with some pricing a possible increase early next year.
  • Selling Treasuries and mortgage‑backed securities pushes bond prices down and yields up, which makes mortgages, corporate loans, and government borrowing more expensive.
  • Analysts warn of a more divided rate‑setting committee under pressure from President Trump and note that higher U.S. yields could strain emerging markets such as Argentina by raising their funding costs.