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...
Asian stocks started the week on a weak note, as investors grappled with South Korea's political upheaval and awaited fresh stimulus from Beijing. Oil prices steadied after Syria's government was toppled. Korean equity benchmarks fell as much as 1.8% at the open, with Australian shares also down. Japanese shares were flat. Futures pointed to a weak open in Hong Kong. The dollar and 10-year Treasury yields were steady. Investors are bracing themselves this week for a series of central bank decisions on four continents, a key meeting of Chinese officials and U.S. inflation data in a bid to...
he Nasdaq and the S&P 500 rose to record closing highs on Friday following upbeat forecasts from Lululemon Athletica and other companies and as U.S. jobs data fueled expectations the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates this month. The Dow finished lower, as a drop in UnitedHealth Group (UNH.N), shares weighed on the index. The S&P 500 consumer discretionary index (.SPLRCD), led gains among sectors, boosted by Lululemon. Shares of Lululemon Athletica (LULU.O), jumped after the sportswear maker increased full-year forecasts. Also in the consumer discretionary space, shares of...
Wall Street's main indexes opened higher on Friday as traders increased bets on a Federal Reserve rate cut this month after the November payrolls report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI), opens new tab rose 58.6 points, or 0.13%, at the open to 44,824.29. The S&P 500 (.SPX), opens new tab rose 6.3 points, or 0.10%, at the open to 6,081.38, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), opens new tab rose 43.2 points, or 0.22%, to 19,743.959 at the opening bell. Source: Reuters
The Hang Seng Index jumped 305 points, or 1.6%, to close at 19,866 on Friday (6/12) after a weak session the previous day, supported by strong gains across all sectors. The index rose 2.3% weekly, rising for a second straight period, amid hopes of fresh stimulus from a key policy meeting in China next week that could set economic targets for 2025. Traders eagerly added new positions after Beijing published draft rules on Thursday offering incentives for government agencies to buy Chinese-made products. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley said the PBoC will cut its main policy rate...
The Nikkei 225 index fell 0.77% to close at 39,091 while the broader Topix index dropped 0.55% to 2,727 on Friday, paring gains from earlier in the week and tracking losses on Wall Street overnight as a major rally in U.S. stocks lost momentum. Investors are also gearing up for the crucial U.S. monthly jobs report. In Japan, data showed that inflation-adjusted real wages were unchanged in October from a year earlier, up from a 0.4% decline in September and 0.8% in August. That supported expectations for a potential interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan this month, although uncertainty...
According to a statement by the Federal Reserve (Fed), Fed Chair Jerome Powell met with United States (US) President Donald Trump on Thursday, where the head of the Fed reiterated that the Fed's...
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) maintained its cash rate at 4.1% during its April meeting, holding borrowing costs unchanged after slashing 25 bps in the February meeting, aligning with market...