Hurricane Ian Spells Trouble for the Fed and Its Inflation Goals

Today, the US State of Florida woke up to the devastation of Hurricane Ian. As residents of the worst-hit parts make the journey home, residents and businesses will begin to assess the financial impact of a storm that peaked at a category four before heading back out to sea.

With parts of the State of Florida still under water and facing high winds and heavy rain, news media outlets report that more than two and a half million are without electricity.

President Joe Biden declared a major disaster, releasing federal-level disaster relief funds to help the State tackle the destruction.

While businesses in the path of Hurricane Ian will face the battle of rebuilding, there will be the indirect effects of the storm on some of the country’s largest multinationals.

Supply Chain Disruption, Fuel Prices, and Inflation

One immediate effect of Hurricane Ian will be on supply chains in and out of Florida.

Across the State, fuel terminals are closed, with oil companies evacuating employees ahead of the storm’s arrival. As reported by Reuters, BP Plc (BP), Chevron Corp (CVX), Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY), and Hess Corp (HES) shut down operations in the State.

In the aftermath of the storm, infrastructure is an issue. Reportedly, fuel trucks can’t reach affected parts of the State, with lengthy waiting times likely to impact businesses reliant upon diesel-fueled generators. Shortage concerns were significant enough for the White House to issue a warning to Oil Companies. President Biden reportedly said,

“Do not – let me repeat, do not, do not – use this as an excuse to raise gasoline prices in America.”

According to the US Joint Economic Committee, gasoline prices surged by 46 cents a gallon immediately after Katrina. The JEC noted that ‘some consumers paid almost twice what they paid the year before.’ Higher gasoline prices would spell more trouble for the US economy and the FED grappling with inflation.

Elevated prices would extend beyond the pump, with businesses having to pass on running costs to consumers. The JEC report noted that ‘fuel prices increased quickly after the supply disruption. However, the JEC also observed that prices decreased more slowly after capacity was restored.’

One other area of interest is the Sunshine State’s citrus industry. According to a CNN report, Ian threatened 75% of the citrus belt with heavy rain and floods. With citrus production reportedly under pressure ahead of the storm, supply shortages would lead to higher food prices, another headache for consumers and for the Fed.

Retailers and the Services Sector Likely to Bear the Brunt of the Pain

Reuters reported that Amazon.com (AMZN) paused operations in some sites, with Walmart (WMT) and Sam Clubs closing down more than 100 stores. Walt Disney (DIS) also shut down theme and water parks on Wednesday and Thursday.

With food and fuel prices keeping US inflation at four-decade highs, retailers will likely add to the inflation problem. As water levels decline, supply issues, and strong demand, will drive prices higher.

While the global equity markets may not have reacted to news updates from the State of Florida, the impact may be evident in the months ahead. Florida is among the top five US states by GDP, with a GDP equivalent to Mexico.

US Equity Markets Tumble as Inflation and Economic Woes Hit Sentiment

At the time of writing, the Dow and the S&P 500 were down 1.64% and 1.88%, respectively, with the NASDAQ 100 sliding by 3.01%.

Amazon.com was down 3.34%, with Disney and Walmart seeing losses of 1.73% and 0.50%, respectively. Oil companies were also in the red, with Chevron down 1.41% and BP PLC falling by 1.28%.