Central banking
Powell forced to stave off uprisings in markets and on his own Fed board as his term ends
Key Points Fed Chair Jerome Powell will have to steer his way through a suddenly very contentious atmosphere among policymakers that will make whichever direction the Fed chooses divisive. While Wall Street economists were split over whether the FOMC will in fact approve another reduction at the Dec. 9-10 meeting, they were in agreement that […]
Read More
European Central Bank holds rates steady as economy shows resilience
The European Central Bank has kept interest rates on hold, as expected, at its latest meeting on Thursday. The central bank held its key deposit facility rate at 2% for the third consecutive time, having last cut rates in June. The trim, which coincided with euro zone inflation hitting the ECB’s target rate of 2%, was […]
Read More
Bank of Japan holds rates in first meeting after Takaichi’s ascent to prime minister
The Japanese national flag is seen at the Bank of Japan (BoJ) headquarters in Tokyo on July 31, 2024. The Bank of Japan lifted its main interest rate on July 31 for just the second time in 17 years in another step away from its massive monetary easing programme. Kazuhiro Nogi | Afp | Getty […]
Read More
Here are the five key takeaways from the Fed meeting and Powell news conference
U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a press conference after the Fed cut interest rates by quarter of a percentage point, in Washington, D.C., U.S., Oct. 29, 2025. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The Federal Reserve meeting that wrapped up Wednesday both delivered on expectations and offered a few surprises. Here are five key takeaways: […]
Read More
Fed cuts rates for the second time this year, will end balance sheet run-off in December
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved its second straight interest rate cut, though Chair Jerome Powell rattled markets when he threw doubt on whether another reduction is coming in December. By a 10-2 vote, the central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee lowered its benchmark overnight borrowing rate to a range of 3.75%-4%. In addition to […]
Read More
The Fed’s balance sheet takes center stage as liquidity concerns rise
The U.S. Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut interest rates when it meets on Wednesday with little to no room for a surprise. Any remaining excitement is centered on what the central bank will signal regarding its balance sheet and the path forward. Short-term interest rates have been particularly volatile in recent weeks, with […]
Read More
The Fed has a rate cut plus a bunch of other things on its plate this week. Here’s what to expect
Key Points Markets are assigning a nearly 100% probability that the Federal Open Market Committee will approve a second consecutive quarter percentage point at its meeting this week. Beyond that, policymakers are likely to debate the future path of reductions, the challenges posed by a lack of economic data and the timetable for ending the […]
Read More
AI, private credit, inflation: Global fund managers reveal their top concerns heading into year-end
Fund managers are taking a cautious stance as the fourth quarter gets underway, opting to go underweight in risk assets in favor of defensive plays with lower volatility. AI, private credit, sticky inflation — and the Fed’s ability to deal with it amid interference from U.S. President Donald Trump — are top of mind for […]
Read More
Bank of Korea holds rate at 2.5% as tighter property rules kick in
Bank of Korea warned there’s a chance of increased volatility following more rate hikes from the Fed, following U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell’s speech in Jackson Hole. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images South Korea’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.5% Thursday, extending a […]
Read More
Asia-Pacific markets fall, tracking Wall Street declines on concerns over U.S.-China trade relations
Asia-Pacific markets fell Thursday, tracking Wall Street’s declines on concerns about U.S.-China trade relations. Trade fears resurfaced after Reuters reported Wednesday stateside that the Trump administration is considering curbs on exports to China that are made with U.S. software, citing a U.S. official and three people briefed by U.S. authorities. The sources said that the plan, […]
Read More