Hassett Poised for Victory!

　　 If White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett is indeed nominated by Trump as the next Federal Reserve Chair, he could effectively serve as the "shadow Fed chair" for up to five months—and the market will undoubtedly hang on his every word!

　　 Since Trump made it clear that he intends to fire current Fed Chair Powell—or at least deny him a second term—investors have been speculating about how the next Fed Chair will be selected. Now, the countdown to unraveling this mystery has undoubtedly begun:

　　 Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent hinted that Trump might announce the nomination list before Christmas, revealing that the candidates had been narrowed down to five. A few hours later, industry media cited sources saying that Hassett has become the frontrunner…

　　 Gambling markets like Polymarket reacted immediately, with Hassett’s probability of becoming the next Fed Chair surging past 50%—far exceeding Fed Governor Waller’s approximately 22%, despite their odds having been closely matched for a long time.

　　 Even renowned journalist Nick Timiraos, known as the "new Fed whisperer," wrote on Monday that the Fed Chair selection process seems to be nearing its conclusion, with Trump leaning toward his longtime advisor Hassett. Timiraos believes that if Hassett ultimately secures the nomination, it will be because he meets two key criteria for Trump—loyalty and credibility in the markets…