The United States Federal Reserve (Fed) will announce its monetary policy decision and publish its revised Summary of Economic Projections (SEP), known as the dot plot, after its September policy meeting on Wednesday. Market participants widely anticipate the US central bank will cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time since last December, lowering it to a range of 4%-4.25%. The CME FedWatch Tool shows that investors see only about a 6% chance of a larger rate cut, while pricing in about an 80% chance of a 75 basis point (bps) cut for the remainder of the year. This means the...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had removed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from consideration for an open seat on the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors, but said he would "very shortly" announce his choice. In an interview with CNBC, Trump said Fed Governor Adriana Kugler's decision to vacate her seat early was a "pleasant surprise." The departure of Kugler, whose term would have ended on January 31, appears to have accelerated Trump's planning for the U.S. central bank, giving him an immediate opening to fill with a person who could also be promoted to the top...
The Bank of Japan held its benchmark interest rate steady and raised its inflation outlook more than expected in a sign it may be closer to a rate hike, while continuing to warn that it's still assessing the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs. The BOJ kept the overnight call rate at 0.5% at the end of a two-day policy meeting in a unanimous vote, according to a statement Thursday. All 56 surveyed economists forecast the decision. The nine-member board boosted its median inflation projection for the current fiscal year in its quarterly economic outlook report to 2.7%...
Economy is in a solid position.Inflation is somewhat above target.Believe the current stance of policy leaves us well positioned to respond in a timely way.Moderation in growth reflects a slowdown in consumer spending.Activity in the housing sector remains weak.Unemployment is low and has remained in a narrow range.Wide set of indicators suggests the job market is near maximum employment.Expects PCE up 2.5% and Core up 2.7% in 12 months through June.Most measures of longer-run inflation expectations are consistent with the Fed's goal.Tariffs have exerted pressure on some goods, but the wider...
The Federal Reserve left the federal funds rate steady at the 4.25%–4.50% target range for a fifth consecutive meeting in July 2025, in line with expectations. Policymakers noted that although swings in net exports continue to affect the data, recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity moderated in the first half of the year. The unemployment rate remains low, and labor market conditions remain solid. In addition, inflation remains somewhat elevated, and uncertainty about the economic outlook persists. The Fed reinforced that additional adjustments to the target range for...
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said on Thursday he continues to believe the U.S. central bank should cut interest rates at the end of this month amid mounting risks to the economy and the strong likelihood that tariff-induced inflation will not drive a persistent rise in price pressures. "It makes sense to cut the FOMC's policy rate by 25 basis points two weeks from now," Waller told a gathering of the Money Marketeers of New York University. "I see the hard and soft data on economic activity and the labor market as consistent: The economy is still growing, but its momentum...
Asia-Pacific markets traded higher, tracking Wall Street gains overnight.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.41% after hitting a fresh record high on Thursday, while the Topix added 0.61%. South...
Both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovered around the flatline on Friday, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of further developments in trade talks between US President Trump and Chinese...
The United States has rejected India's request for consultations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding Washington's 50% tariffs on copper and copper derivative products, arguing that the...