Market Update

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0.5% on Friday, aligning with market forecasts, as policymakers weighed political uncertainty at home and the broader impact of U.S. trade tariffs on Japan’s economy. The decision came by a 7-2 majority, with board members Takata Hajime and …

Asian equities were set for weekly gains on Friday, supported by hopes of further rate cuts worldwide, though Japan’s Nikkei retreated after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) hinted at further unwinding of its ultra-loose monetary policy. BOJ Shifts Tone, Markets React The BOJ held short-term rates at 0.5%, but two …

The Federal Reserve’s latest move has Wall Street buzzing, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average nudging toward 46,200 on Thursday, September 18, after a choppy open. That’s a fresh record, up nearly 0.8% for the week and 1.5% so far in September, putting it on track for a fifth straight …

On September 17, 2025, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 0.25% to 4%-4.25%, a move Chair Jerome Powell called a “risk management cut” amid cooling inflation (2.9% in August) and a softening jobs market (22,000 nonfarm payrolls). Markets, having anticipated this, showed mixed reactions.Bitcoin’s ResponseBitcoin, trading at $117,417 on …

The Federal Reserve’s recent decision to trim interest rates by a quarter percentage point marks a pivotal shift in monetary policy, responding to signs of a cooling labor market while inflation lingers above target. This move, lowering the benchmark rate to a 4.00%-4.25% range, underscores a delicate balancing act. With …

Federal Reserve rate cuts are seen as a potential lifeline for the struggling housing market, with a recent 50 basis-point slash aiming to lower mortgage rates and stimulate demand. Homebuilder Lennar’s grim earnings report, projecting a 49% profit drop, underscores the sector’s pain. While lower rates could ease monthly payments …

The British pound slipped 0.46% to 1.35605 against the dollar on September 18, 2025, retreating from a daily high of 1.36607, even as the Federal Reserve kicked off its 2025 easing cycle with a 25-basis-point rate cut. The Bank of England’s decision to hold rates at 4% and trim Quantitative …

Gold surged to a record $3,707 per ounce before the Federal Reserve’s September 17, 2025, rate cut, riding expectations that lower rates would boost non-yielding assets. Yet, by September 18, spot gold slid 0.43% to $3,644.26, and gold futures dropped 1.09% to $3,677.40, defying the notion that easing sparks sustained …

The Federal Reserve’s 25 basis point rate cut on September 17, 2025, was pitched as a cautious step to support a softening economy, yet oil prices—Brent near $67.45 per barrel, down 0.71%, and WTI around $63, down 1.41%, barely stirred. Conventional wisdom suggests lower borrowing costs should spark energy demand, …

The euro extended its losses against the US dollar for a second straight day, driven by a resurgent greenback bolstered by cautious Federal Reserve guidance and robust US economic data. As of 6:29 PM EEST on September 18, 2025, the EUR/USD pair traded at 1.17868, down 0.22% from its previous …