PIMCO’s Gross Sees Jump in Jobless Rate Next Year

By John Sullivan

July 13, 2012 at 08:02 AM

Share & Print

What happened to his optimism? PIMCO Chairman Bill Gross, traditionally a Fed cheerleader, increasingly doesn't like what he sees.

Speaking with CNBC's "Street Signs" on Wednesday, the bond king said Federal Reserve policies are progressively having less impact, and by this time next year we'll see unemployment higher than today's 8.2%.

Bill Gross, Chairman, PIMCO (Photo: AP) While the Fed could cut interest rates on reserves or adopt quantitative easing—whereby the Fed buys financial assets to inject more money into the economy—among other policies, Gross (left) said "interest rates are close to rock bottom at the front end of the curve and there's little the Fed can do there," according to the network.

As interest rates move down to the zero line, there are negative implications, Gross cautioned. Low rates can hurt money-market funds, banks, insurance companies and pension funds that are typically used to higher rates, he said.

He added, "There's a negative twist to the twist, which I don't think Fed policymakers are factoring in." The network notes "twist" refers to the Fed's Operation Twist, where the Fed sells short-term securities while buying longer-dated Treasurys to bring down long-term interest rates.

CNBC also said he warned of the potential for increased leverage in the economy.

"As interest rates move lower and lower, and returns on bonds and stocks become limited, the tendency of the system is try and lever, to try to take advantage of the cheap financing and buy anything that produces a return and a yield," he said. "That's the danger of low interest rates."

NOT FOR REPRINT