OUTRAGEOUS Federal Reserve Will Pay Banks $12 Billion in 2016

Jared Blikre, one of the best Fed watchers in the business, writes:

In 2016, the Federal Reserve will pay at least $12.2 billion to U.S. and foreign banks to keep the money created via its quantitative easing programs out of the economy. If the Fed raises rates as expected next year, the amount nearly doubles to $23.1 billion.

From 2008 to 2015, the Fed purchased over $4 trillion worth of bonds...

To sterilize the vast sums of money that would otherwise circulate throughout the economy and cause price inflation, the Fed pays an above-market interest rate of 0.50% to banks on reserves, or digital cash, held at the Fed. Currently, banks are holding $2.5 trillion at the Fed and are paid $34.5 million per day in interest.

The Fed has telegraphed its intent to raise rates in 2016, and analysts expect two to four rate hikes. Assuming the Fed raises rates four times‑-once at each of the meetings that are accompanied by a press conference--payments to banks at the end of 2016 would amount to $103.6 million per day....

The interest paid by the Fed to banks and funds that participate in the operations amounts to $1.06 million per day. If the Fed raises rates as expected in 2016, total payments would be $1.03 billion in 2016, which is in addition to the $23.1 billion paid as interest on reserves.

After six years of near-zero interest rates, the Fed is in uncharted territory. Never before has a central bank attempted to raise rates after having provided so much stimulus and expanding its balance sheet to such a degree. The legacy of the Fed’s quantitative experiment is largess to banks and funds that will likely total $24 billion in 2016.

 -RW