Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday , after the U.S.-Russia summit concluded without a ceasefire. Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark rose 0.62%, while the broader Topix index added 0.42%. In South Korea, the Kospi index fell 1.06%, while the small-cap Kosdaq was down 1.44%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 started the day flat. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 25,214, pointing to a stronger open compared with the HSI's last close of 25,270.07. U.S. equity futures ticked up in early Asia hours on hopes for rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve, which fueled a winning week on...
GBP/USD lurched higher on Wednesday, tapping 1.2985 in intraday trading after the Federal Reserve's (Fed) latest rate call came in broadly as expected, with the Fed keeping rates steady at 4.5%. Markets broadly anticipated another hold from the Fed but are looking for signs that the Fed will continue to deliver rate cuts if the US labor market continues to break down. According to the Fed, growth expectations for 2025 have been severely hampered by the Trump administration's policy approach of announcing then walking back trade tariffs via social media posts. The Federal Open Market...
The US Dollar Index (DXY) initially gained traction near 104.00 after the Federal Reserve decided to keep its benchmark interest rate at 4.5%, maintaining a cautious stance amid evolving inflation and economic conditions. The latest FOMC dot plot revealed that policymakers expect a median rate of 3.875% for the current period, down from the prior 4.375%, reinforcing expectations of future rate cuts. Looking ahead, the Fed revised its 2025 rate forecast lower to 3.375%, a signal of potential policy easing in response to slower economic growth and elevated inflation projections. GDP...
EUR/USD climbs post-Fed, as policymakers keep rates unchanged but hint at a slower balance sheet runoff starting in April.Inflation remains "somewhat" elevated, with the Fed revising PCE and Core PCE higher, while GDP and unemployment estimates were lowered. Fed Governor Waller dissents, favoring an unchanged pace of balance sheet reduction, as markets digest mixed policy signals.The EUR/USD spkied on Wednesday after the US Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates unchanged despite adopting a slightly hawkish approach to the future path of interest rates. At the time of writing, the...
USD/JPY hovers near 149.37, little changed after the Fed keeps rates unchanged but slows balance sheet reduction.Inflation remains "somewhat" elevated, with the Fed revising PCE and Core PCE higher, while GDP and unemployment estimates were lowered.Fed Governor Waller dissents, favoring an unchanged pace of balance sheet reduction as markets digest mixed policy signals.The USD/JPY pair climbs on Wednesday after the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) decision to keep rates unchanged. Even though officials turned cautious on rates, the US Dollar (USD) failed to rally sharply. The pair...
The AUD/USD pair initially fell below 0.6330 following the Federal Reserve's (Fed) monetary policy decision but later trimmed part of its losses as the US Dollar (USD) lost ground post-Powell's press conference. The Fed left interest rates unchanged at 4.5%, reinforcing a cautious approach amid inflation and economic uncertainties. The latest FOMC dot plot signaled a gradual policy easing ahead, with the median rate forecast for 2025 revised down to 3.375% from 3.875%. GDP expectations were also adjusted lower to 1.7% from 2.1%, while unemployment projections rose to 4.4%, indicating...