Inherit a Prominent Place in Bond Portfolios By Jim Reber, President and CEO, ICBA Securities There are a whole lot of anomalies in community banking in the waning stages of this restrictive Fed cycle. One of the overriding themes is the sheer duration of the process. We’re now fully one year past the last tightening, which has left the effective overnight rate at 5.375% since July 2023, and given rise to the “higher for longer” sound bite. The past six tightening cycles have averaged well under a year between the last hike and the first ease. We will be soon approaching another record: the longest-ever pause between the last hike and the first cut is 15 months, from June 2006 to September 2007. There are myriad implications on community bank operations from this year-plus hibernation. Being a representative of the broker-dealer industry, I’d like to point out the attractive yields available in most any investment sector that banks care about. Baked into this decadent batter, however, are three obstacles for portfolio managers. The Meek … 26 | The Show-Me Banker Magazine
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