BOJ Holds Interest Rates Steady, Upgrades Growth and Inflation Outlook for Japan 
Fed Confirms Rate Meeting Schedule Despite Severe Winter Storm in Washington D.C. 
Thailand Economy Faces Competitiveness Challenges as Strong Baht and U.S. Tariffs Pressure Exports 
BOJ Rate Decision in Focus as Yen Weakness and Inflation Shape Market Outlook 
Bank of Korea Expected to Hold Interest Rates as Weak Won Limits Policy Easing 
ECB Signals Steady Interest Rates as Fed Risks Loom Over Outlook 
China Holds Loan Prime Rates Steady in January as Market Expectations Align 
Bank of Canada Holds Interest Rate at 2.25% Amid Trade and Global Uncertainty 
New York Fed President John Williams Signals Rate Hold as Economy Seen Strong in 2026 
Morgan Stanley Raises KOSPI Target to 5,200 on Strong Earnings and Reform Momentum 
This week, markets gathered at Jackson Hole with one query: will Jerome Powell use his last keynote on Friday to set rate cuts? Political and market pressure for help is great, given rising inflation still above target and unemployment edging to 4.3%. Investors believe Powell's remarks to be the final sign that the period of strong tightening is drawing to an end. Futures markets now give an 80–99 percent chance of a September cut.
The theme of the 2025 conference, "Labor Markets in Transition: Demographics, Productivity, and Macroeconomic Policy," prepares the groundwork. Among others, closed-door sessions with global central-bank leaders Christine Lagarde, Kazuo Ueda, and Andrew Bailey are examining how slower hiring, changing productivity, and aging workforces are changing policy decisions. Against that backdrop, the Fed has to strike a balance between a softening labor market and persistently above target inflation, even if moderating.
Historical evidence suggests that Jackson Hole rhetoric can have a significant impact on financial markets; the dovish tone last year sparked a rally. A risk-asset surge could follow Powell if he confirms expectations for immediate easing. On the other hand, a data-dependent or prudent position could disappoint and set off sell-offs. Investors will analyze every phrase for hints on the Fed's tolerance for persistent inflation, the timing of rate cuts, and its readiness to change swiftly should labor conditions worsen more.
