Wall Street Brunch: Now Is The Meeting Of The Fed Dissent

Federal Reserve and Economic Outlook - Wall Street anticipates a quarter-point rate cut from the Federal Reserve, with a 7% chance of a larger 50-basis-point cut due to weak labor market data [3][4] - Fed Chairman Jay Powell is expected to maintain a moderate approach to easing, despite pressures for a more aggressive cut [4] - The potential for dissent among Fed members is highlighted, particularly from Governor Christopher Waller, who may advocate for a 50-basis-point cut [4][6] - The upcoming economic calendar includes August retail sales and housing data, which are crucial for assessing consumer spending trends [7][8] Corporate Earnings and Performance - The estimated year-over-year earnings growth rate for the S&P 500 is projected at 7.6%, marking the ninth consecutive quarter of earnings growth if realized [9] - FedEx is expected to report adjusted EPS of $3.67 on $21.71 billion in revenue, facing challenges such as stagnant B2B demand and pressures from U.S. trade policies [10] - Analysts suggest FedEx is undervalued at 13x earnings, with a potential upside of 30% if the valuation aligns with a more appropriate multiple of 16-17x [11] OpenAI and Microsoft Partnership - OpenAI anticipates a decrease in revenue sharing with Microsoft from 20% to about 8% by 2030, potentially adding over $50 billion in revenue for the AI startup [12] - The renegotiation of terms in their partnership could significantly impact OpenAI's financial outlook, as it seeks a valuation of approximately $500 billion in private markets [13] Dividend Stocks and Income Investment - A curated list of top dividend-paying stocks has been compiled, focusing on U.S. companies with strong ratings across safety, growth, yield, and consistency [15] - The top five dividend stocks include Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Bunge Global, Watsco, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Amgen, all rated favorably by analysts [16]