Hawkish Meaning: An Explanation in Fundamental Analysis

Time to learn what the hawkish meaning is.

One of the most common words that investors hear in the news is Hawkish.

Hawkish refers to when a central bank’s policymakers talk about raising interest rates, slowing down economic growth, or even easing up on inflationary pressures.

These policies are based on their outlook for the economy and what they believe will happen next.

But what does Hawkish actually mean?

What is the hawkish meaning in economics and finance?

A Hawkish stance in economics and finance is when the central bank wants to tighten its policies in order to keep inflation, and then subsequently interest rates, low.

Hawkish is usually recommended when the inflation rate has risen, and there are signs that it will continue to rise if steps aren’t taken now.

The Hawkish stance differs from dovish in that Hawkish is concerned with consumer price inflation, while Dovish focuses on economic growth.

Hawkish Meaning in Forex Trading

How does it affect the markets?

When Hawkish is in effect, the markets will do one of three things:

  • increase interest rates to make investing less attractive. This lowers inflation because it’s more expensive for consumers and business owners to borrow money;
  • increase its economic growth projections by increasing state spending or lowering taxes- which then can result in higher revenues through increased consumption and production;
  • or cut reserve ratios, which will make it cheaper for banks to borrow money.

All three of these possibilities can result in more investment into the economy and increase economic growth.

The Hawkish stance could be seen as a way to tamp down inflationary pressure before it gets out of hand – and has huge consequences for countries that have borrowed heavily.

The Hawkish stance is also a response to political pressure on the central bank’s independence, which can be seen as an infringement of its autonomy and responsibility to make decisions for the economy.

In this case, Hawkish often means that policymakers want to control inflation in order to set their own course independent of any other pressures.

Why are hawkish policies used to combat inflation?

Hawkish policies are typically used to combat inflation.

When Hawkish is in effect, policymakers will want interest rates and the reserve ratios to be higher than they were before- which will make borrowing less attractive for investors.

This means that there’s a lower chance of companies or consumers taking on more debt because it will cost them more money to borrow it- which will reduce inflationary pressures.

It’s inevitably a balancing act, because Hawkish has the potential to be seen as an infringement on independence.

In short, Hawkish policies are often used when there is evidence of increased interest rates and higher than normal levels of consumer prices.

Why do investors prefer hawkish policies?

Investors prefer Hawkish policies because they reduce the risk of deflation.

Deflation is when prices for goods and services go down, which means that every dollar will be worth more than before – a phenomenon commonly seen during recessions or depressions.

Public debt would also become easier to manage because businesses and consumers would buy less- which would reduce the amount of money that has to be borrowed.

The Hawkish stance is typically a last resort because it’s seen as an infringement on autonomy and responsibility- but its often coupled with Dovish policies in order to balance out the risks.

The pros and cons of hawkish policies.

The Hawkish stance is typically used to reduce the risk of deflation.

It reduces a lot of risks associated with the economy like inflation, high levels of debt, and economic depression.

It’s also seen as an infringement on autonomy because it conflicts with central bank independence in decision making

How can you spot a hawkish stance?

Hawkish can be spotted in an article or speech by identifying certain phrases like “hawkish means,” which is the phrase used for Hawkish policies.

It might also come up when someone talks about interest rates and inflationary pressures- Hawkish aims to reduce these problems with higher reserve ratios or increased state spending.

So if they are talking about increasing spending – it’s seen as a hawkish stance.

So there you have it.

Hawkish refers to a central bank’s decision to increase interest rates and tighten the money supply in order to control inflation, which is typically measured by Consumer Price Index (CPI).

It also affects how people feel about their investments in the stock market. If the market is too hawkish, many investors will look to move their money away from the market into something that would benefit from a hawkish policy.

If you found this article valuable, be sure to share it with your friends and family on social media!

Click here to find related articles >>

About the author

Seasoned forex trader John Henry teaches new traders key concepts like divergence, mean reversion, and price action for free, sharing over a decade of market experience and analysis expertise in a clear, practical style.