Stephen Miran, speaking on economic trends, indicates that current border policies have affected shelter prices, with negative net migration expected to exert considerable disinflation. He positions himself at the lower end of the dot plot and plans to discuss his views in detail during an upcoming speech.
Miran suggests that decreasing home prices will counterbalance robust economic growth, reducing inflation. He disagrees with any notion that his actions align solely with the White House’s interests and warns that restrictive Fed policies could eventually strain the job market.
Anticipated Economic Growth
He anticipates stronger growth in the second half of the year, though he believes this won’t significantly impact monetary policy. Miran remains unconcerned about inflation stemming from tariffs, suggesting they result in a one-off increase, unlike the ongoing effects of 1.5 million migrants exiting the country.
We are seeing signs that falling home prices could indeed start pushing inflation lower in the coming months. The latest Case-Shiller data from July 2025 showed a modest decline, the first we’ve seen this year, backing up this view. This suggests a key inflationary pressure from the past few years might finally be turning a corner.
A significant driver appears to be the recent reversal in migration trends, which had previously propped up rental demand and shelter costs. New reports for the second quarter of 2025 indicated a state of negative net migration for the first time since the pandemic era. This demographic shift could create a sustained headwind for shelter prices, a major component of the Consumer Price Index.
Economic Environment and Market Implications
Given these disinflationary pressures, we should consider positioning for a more dovish Federal Reserve than the market is currently pricing. The August 2025 jobs report, which showed hiring slowing to 150,000, adds to the case that the Fed’s restrictive policy is beginning to weigh on the economy. This environment favors trades that profit from lower future interest rates, such as buying SOFR futures for 2026 delivery.
This outlook, where economic growth remains firm but inflation falls, is a positive backdrop for equities. If the Fed signals a pivot sooner rather than later, we could see a rally, especially in rate-sensitive technology and growth stocks. Traders might consider buying call options on the Nasdaq 100 index (NDX) to capitalize on this potential shift in market sentiment.
The core assertion is that home prices will fall, so bearish positions on the real estate sector itself could be warranted. While the broader market might rally on lower rates, the source of the disinflation is housing weakness. This suggests that buying put options on major real estate ETFs, which have remained resilient through much of 2025, could act as a direct play on this forecast.
