Kill Inflation No Matter What?

FDA Panel Backs Omicron-Targeted Vaccines | How Gas Prices Are DeterminedHow Gas Prices Are Determined | Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( June 29, 2022 CONNECT WITH KIPLINGER  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram ]( [Youtube]( [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE]( [] What's in the Works [] Just about every market observer recognizes the needle-threading challenge facing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and the other members of America’s central bank: Put the kibosh on high inflation while keeping the economy from falling into full-fledged recession. Not all money experts, however, are convinced that the best path is through the eye. “Fed Chair Jerome Powell is facing a challenge similar to the one that former Fed Chair Paul Volcker faced in the 1970s, when he famously took aggressive steps to combat inflation, what he called at the time 'the snake,’” says George Ball, chairman of investment firm Sanders Morris Harris, who views a short-term economic slide as the lesser of two evils. “Inflation at current levels is not acceptable, and the Fed's rate hiking measures, albeit painful short-term for the markets and economy and could cause a mild recession this year, are necessary to bring prices back to normal levels.” [Hedge Against Inflation With This Investment]( Times like today clearly show the value of diversifying a portfolio beyond stocks and bonds. Real estate is one way to do that because this asset class generally doesn't move in tandem with stock and bond markets. [READ MORE]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Latest [] Ball sees the Fed raising interest rates by 50 to 75 basis points at each of its four remaining meetings this year, and if that happens, “that would kill the snake,” he said, bringing annual price increases back toward the Fed’s annual target of 2%. That’s likely to upset markets – he believes 3,100 could be the S&P 500’s bottom, which would be a 19% drop from current levels. Ball suggests holding [“elevated levels of cash”]( right now, but if you’re going to dip a toe in, “[stocks with high dividend yields]( and [low volatility]( are a sound investment.” A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommended that COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers be allowed to develop and release omicron-targeted vaccines. Currently, COVID-19 vaccines target only the original version of COVID-19. Both Pfizer and Moderna have conducted preliminary studies indicating that such vaccines would boost antibodies against the omicron variant. Still to be determined is whether the new vaccines would target multiple variants of the virus, both original and current, or just one. The committee would encourage the manufacturers to also target the new South African omicron variants (BA.4 and BA.5), now that these make up over half of all new infections and will likely be the dominant variants when the targeted vaccines are made available. However, even if the FDA doesn’t allow targeting of the newer versions because less is known about them, vaccines targeted at an earlier version of the omicron variant should still be better than the current vaccines, which are targeted at the version of COVID-19 dominant in 2020. The expected timeline is that the FDA itself will issue its recommendation early in July, and manufacturers will make the targeted vaccines available to the public by October. Free download, [The Kiplinger Letter's Forecast](. No information required from you. [Pocket $200 After Spending $1,000]( New card owners can receive a $200 bonus offer, high ongoing cash back rates, no annual fee, or 0% interest until 2023. [READ MORE]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Also on Kiplinger [] - [How Gas Prices Are Determined]( - [5 Ways to Prepare for a Recession]( - [Get a Handle on Your Credit Card Debt]( - [The 15 Best Growth Stocks to Buy for the Rest of 2022]( - [Sign Up Free for Kiplinger Today -- Timely Tips to Make and Keep More of Your Money Every Day]( ABOUT KIPLINGER When we write about money, we get it right. So the decisions you make with your dollars are also right. Since 1920, Kiplinger has earned a reputation as a trusted provider of unbiased financial advice, objective business and economic forecasts, and practical help to millions of business professionals, investors, and individuals seeking to make more profitable decisions with their money. 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