World Bank Approves $1.1 Billion Emergency Funding for Bangladesh Amid Food and Energy Price Pressures 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
China Factory PMI Seen Returning to Growth in June as AI Export Demand Supports Economy 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
China Expands Export Controls, Adds 20 Japanese Companies to Restricted List 
Gold Price Falls as Fed Rate Hike Fears and U.S.-Iran Tensions Weigh on Bullion 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
Japan Targets 1%+ Real Economic Growth With ¥370 Trillion Investment Plan 
China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Canada Grants C$7 Million to Greenland Molybdenum Mine to Strengthen Critical Minerals Supply 
Federal Reserve Cuts Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points
Ongoing Inflation Progress and Labor Market Slowdown Drive Fed’s Decision
The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 4.50%-4.75% on Thursday. This adjustment, following September’s larger 50-basis-point cut, reflects ongoing improvements in inflation control and indications of a softening labor market.
According to Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, “The labor market is not a significant source of inflationary pressures,” citing indicators suggesting the labor market is less tight than it was before the pandemic. The latest measure of the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, the core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index, remained steady at 2.7% in September, slightly above economist expectations of 2.6%.
Impact of Political Shift: Potential Policy Adjustments Under New Leadership
This rate cut arrives amid political changes, with President-elect Donald Trump’s victory signaling potential economic policy shifts. Powell noted that while immediate policy changes aren’t anticipated, potential measures from the new administration—like tariffs, tax adjustments, and immigration policy revisions—could impact inflation and the Fed’s rate-cut timeline.
Market expectations suggest the Fed will conclude its rate-cutting cycle after two more 25-basis-point reductions in 2025, bringing rates to the 3.75%-4% range.
