Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
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 
Australian Household Spending Rebounds Strongly in May as Travel and Dining Drive Consumer Growth 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
Oil Prices Drop as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Recovers 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
BOJ Hawk Signals Faster Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Risks 
U.S. Dollar Reaches One-Year High as Tech Sell-Off and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Support Demand 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
South Korea’s KOSPI Jumps Over 5% as Samsung, SK Hynix Rally on Micron Earnings Boost 
Oil Prices Drop as Middle East Supply Recovery Eases Market Concerns 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
The U.S. dollar weakened on Thursday after the Federal Reserve struck a less-hawkish tone than investors anticipated, prompting traders to increase bets on further rate cuts in 2025. While the Fed lowered interest rates by 25 basis points as expected, Chair Jerome Powell’s comments during the post-meeting press conference signaled a more dovish outlook, surprising market participants who were positioned for a firmer stance on inflation.
Analysts noted a clear shift in tone compared to the Fed’s October meeting. Nick Rees, head of macro research at Monex Europe, said the commentary leaned “dovish,” encouraging investors to short the dollar. As selling pressure increased, the euro climbed above the key $1.17 threshold, touching $1.1705—its strongest level in nearly two months. Sterling also gained, reaching $1.3391, and the Japanese yen strengthened 0.25% to 155.64 per dollar, recovering slightly from recent weakness driven by wide interest-rate differentials.
The dollar index fell to 98.543, its lowest since late October, reflecting broad softness across currency markets. Tony Sycamore of IG said traders had expected the Fed to repeat the hawkish tone from October but instead received signals that support risk-asset rallies into year-end.
Market sentiment now leans toward two additional rate cuts next year, exceeding the Fed’s own projection of just one. The central bank also announced it will begin purchasing short-dated Treasury bills starting December 12, with an initial round of roughly $40 billion aimed at supporting market liquidity. The move boosted bond markets, pushing the two-year Treasury yield down to 3.5340% and the 10-year yield to 4.1332%.
Analysts at Societe Generale said the earlier-than-expected T-bill purchases helped spark a rally led by short-term Treasuries. In commodity-linked currencies, the Australian dollar eased to $0.66665, while the New Zealand dollar slipped to $0.5812 after recent highs.
This shift in Fed policy expectations continues to shape global currency flows and investor positioning as markets look ahead to 2025.
