If it was the Fed’s intention to make the upcoming rate hike seem like a welcome event, one that presaged a new Golden Age in the US (and global) economy because, lo and behold, the wise Fed would never hike unless the economy is flourishing and thus create a self-fulfilling prophecy in which the rate hike itself – an event of tightening financial conditions even when inflation expectations are the lowest they have been in years – becomes a catalyst for growth, then it has failed spectacularly.

First, it was the IMF warning a rate hike would be a big mistake, then Larry Summer (who for some reason progressives thought was hawkish when it was a choice between him and Aunt Janet), then even China got into the fray saying the Fed should delay its rate hike as it could push emerging markets (such as China) into crisis.

But it wasn’t until today that we got the most glaring confirmation there had been absolutely zero coordination at the highest levels of authority and “responsibility”, when the World Bank’s current chief economist (a position previously held by such ‘luminaries’ as Larry Summers, Joseph Stiglitz and Stanley Fischer), Kaushik Basu warned that the Fed risks, and we quote, triggering “panic and turmoil” in emerging markets if it opts to raise rates at its September meeting and should hold fire until the global economy is on a surer footing, the World Bank’s chief economist has warned.

While apparently the World Bank economist is unfamiliar with the concept of reflexivity, and does not understand that the only reason the global economy is not on “surer footing” is because of the 12+ month , near endless pricing in of the Fed’s first rate hike since 2006,  which has unleashed an unprecedented capital flight out of all emerging markets, a record series of rate cuts across the globe including NIRP in Europe, and China’s first official currency devaluation in years not to mention the first stock market correction in 4 years, what is critical is that by making this statement, Basu destroys with just two words the narrative that i) the Fed knows what it is doing and that ii) contrary to logic, a rate hike at a time when the world clearly and desperately needs, and is addicted, to global central bank liquidity, will lead to even further asset price plunges.