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...
Hong Kong stocks rose 187 points, or 0.8%, to 22,881 in early trading on Thursday, extending gains for a sixth straight session amid a small rise in U.S. stock futures after the Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate steady for a third straight meeting, as expected. Echoing the Fed, the HKMA also kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4.75%. Market sentiment was further boosted by reports that President Trump will hold a press conference to discuss a major trade deal later in the day. In China, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) unveiled sweeping policy measures on Wednesday,...
Japanese stocks opened lower, with the Topix declining for the first day in 10 as the yen held steady after the FOMC meeting. The Topix Index fell 0.5% to 2,681.86 as of 9:35 a.m. Tokyo time. It's the first day of losses since April 21 Sony Group contributed the most to declines in the index, down 2.9% Out of 1,689 stocks in the Topix, 327 rose and 1,314 fell, while 48 were unchanged The Nikkei shed 0.2% to 36,701.35 The yen was trading at 143.74 against the dollar early in Tokyo, compared with 143.83 Wednesday morning, despite initially weakening after Federal...
The S&P 500 rose in choppy trading after the Federal Reserve signaled that the risks for an economic slowdown and higher prices are increasing. The broad market index added 0.43% to close at 5,631.28, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.27% to end at 17,738.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 284.97 points, or 0.70%, and settled at 41,113.97. The 30-stock index was aided by a nearly 11% pop in Disney shares after the company reported a fiscal second-quarter earnings beat and a surprise jump in streaming subscribers. As expected, the Federal Open Market Committee held its...
The Federal Reserve kept the funds rate at 4.25%–4.50% for a third consecutive meeting in May 2025, in line with expectations, as officials adopt a wait-and-see approach amid concerns that President Trump's tariffs could drive up inflation and slow economic growth. Policymakers noted that uncertainty about the economic outlook has increased further and that the risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen. The Fed also said that that although swings in net exports have affected the data, recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace....
US stocks were slightly higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 adding 0.2%, Nasdaq rising 0.1% and the Dow Jones increasing about 170 points, rebounding after two consecutive sessions of losses. Investor sentiment was lifted by news that official US-China trade talks are set to take place this weekend in Switzerland, with Treasury Secretary Bessent saying the meeting will focus on de-escalation rather than securing a deal. However, it could mark a first step toward resolving trade disputes and reducing tariffs. Meanwhile, traders are eagerly awaiting the FOMC decision later today, with...
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...