Company: ADAMM
Filing Date: 2025-02-21
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001273685-25-000028
Chunk: 232

Company: ADAMAS TRUST, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-02-21
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 7
Chunk 232
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 quarters of GDP growth. While GDP grew in 2024, inflation remains persistently above the Federal Reserve’s target of two percent, and job growth remains robust, uncertainty about how the Federal Reserve may adjust its monetary policy or the target range for the federal funds rate in response to such macroeconomic trends may limit or undermine business activity and the potential for future GDP growth, which could negatively impact the value of credit investments. 

After moderating in the first half of 2024, the U.S. labor market tightened during the third quarter of 2024 and remained tight in the fourth quarter of 2024 in contrast to many market commentators’ expectations. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1% at the end of December 2024, finishing flat to the unemployment rate of 4.1% as of the end of September 2024 and up 30 basis points from the unemployment rate of 3.8% as of the end of December 2023. The number of unemployed persons increased by 0.6 million year-over-year to 6.9 million as of December 2024. There continues to be a wide disparity between the number of available job openings, 8.1 million as of the end of November 2024, and the number of unemployed persons, resulting in a competitive labor market and rising wages. As of December 2024, average hourly earnings for all employees on non-farm payrolls rose 3.9% year-over-year.

After raising the target range for the federal funds rate a total of 5.25% in 2022 and 2023, bringing the range to its highest level in over 22 years, and holding the range at that target for 14 months, the Federal Reserve cut the target range by 50 basis points in September 2024 (the first such cut since March 2020), 25 basis points in November 2024 and 25 basis points in December 2024. In connection with its cuts to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Federal Reserve acknowledged that inflation has made progress toward the Federal Reserve’s target of two percent but remains somewhat elevated. In considering additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Federal Reserve stated that it will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks to the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate of achieving maximum employment and inflation at a rate of two percent over the longer run. Changing