Interest rate cut

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The Fed’s decision on interest rates is today. Here’s where experts see Bitcoin price heading
Yahoo Finance· 2025-09-17 17:08
Bitcoin’s fate hangs on Jerome Powell’s every word as traders expect the Federal Reserve to announce its first rate cut in over a year. Markets are pricing in near-certainty of a cut at today’s Federal Open Market Committee, with the CME FedWatch tool flashing 94% odds of a 0.25% rate cut, and a 6% chance of an even deeper 0.50% slash. Polymarket punters give those cuts a 90% and 8% chance respectively. Market watchers, however, reckon that the quarter-point cut is already baked into prices — and it cou ...
Fed Likely to Cut Rate Today: 5 Clean Energy ETFs in Focus
ZACKS· 2025-09-17 16:36
Economic Context - The U.S. economy is experiencing volatility due to aggressive tariffs, a weakening job market, persistent inflation, and rising fiscal deficits [1] - Investors are anticipating a Federal Reserve interest rate cut of 0.25% as indicated by Fed Chair Jerome Powell [1] Impact on Clean Energy Sector - The expected rate cut is viewed as a necessary measure to stimulate economic activity and alleviate consumer purchasing power pressure, which should benefit capital-intensive industries like clean energy [2] - Clean energy companies are highly sensitive to interest rates due to the significant upfront investments required for infrastructure such as solar farms and wind turbines [3] Benefits of Rate Cut for Clean Energy - A reduction in interest rates typically lowers financing costs for debt-funded clean energy projects, enhancing the economic viability of solar and wind initiatives [4] - This can lead to increased valuations for clean energy companies and the ETFs that hold them [4] Clean Energy ETFs Performance - Several U.S.-focused clean energy ETFs have shown positive performance since Powell's speech, indicating strong market interest [5] - iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN) has approximately $1.60 billion in assets, with a 1.5% increase since August 22, and a significant U.S. holding of 28.95% [6][7] - First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy ETF (QCLN) has a total net asset of approximately $470.2 million and has gained 4.3% since August 22 [8] - ALPS Clean Energy ETF (ACES) has a total net asset of approximately $98.4 million, with a 1.7% increase since August 22 [9][10] - Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy ETF (PBW) has a total net asset of approximately $401.7 million and has rallied 3.8% since August 22 [11][12] - SPDR S&P Kensho Clean Power ETF (CNRG) has approximately $159.8 million in assets and has risen 6.6% since August 22 [13] Conclusion - The anticipated Federal Reserve rate cut could create a more favorable financing environment for clean energy companies, potentially enhancing the performance of the highlighted ETFs [14]
Stock Market Today: Investors stumped as indecisive Fed cuts rates, offers wide array of 2026 forecasts
Yahoo Finance· 2025-09-17 15:01
Market Overview - The U.S. markets opened with the Dow Jones Industrial Average leading, up by 0.40%, while the S&P 500, Russell 2000, and Nasdaq showed little movement [2] - The Dow is making gains despite negative news affecting Nvidia, which is down by 1.2% [2] Economic Data - Recent housing market data indicates a slowdown, with Building Permits at 1,312,000, below the expected 1.37 million, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 3.7% [6] - Housing Starts also fell short of expectations at 1,307,000, down 8.5% year-over-year [6] Federal Reserve Anticipation - Investors are awaiting the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, with expectations of a 25 basis point cut [7] - The Fed's announcement is anticipated to provide insights into future monetary policy and interest rate adjustments [7]
'Fast Money' traders look ahead to Wednesday's Fed decision
Youtube· 2025-09-17 14:44
Market Overview - The Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates by 25 basis points, marking its first cut since December, amid pressure from President Trump [1] - Major stock averages remained relatively unchanged, while gold reached its 35th record of the year [1] - The dollar is trading near three-year lows, impacting regional banks negatively, with Bank First, Synchrony Financial, Huntington Bank, and Keycorp among the worst performers [2] Gold and Dollar Dynamics - The rise in gold prices suggests a disconnect with the equity market, as the S&P reached a new all-time high [3] - The dollar's lack of recovery, aside from a brief period, raises concerns about its long-term trajectory [4] - A weaker dollar is generally supportive of equities, but diminishing returns may be approaching [4] Regional Banks Performance - Regional banks have seen significant gains since Liberation Day, up approximately 40%, but experienced sharp declines recently [5] - The expectation was that these banks would benefit from a stronger economic environment, yet their performance contradicts this assumption [5] Economic Outlook and Fed Actions - The Fed's rate cut occurs in a strong economic context, which could lead to increased market activity and potential long-term inflation [6] - Historically, markets tend to rise 12 months after a Fed cut in a strengthening economy, but this may also lead to higher long-term rates affecting mortgage demand [7] - Concerns exist regarding the potential for higher ten-year yields despite the Fed's actions [9][10] Labor Market and Consumer Behavior - Recent labor market data suggests weakening, which could impact other economic sectors and the rationale behind the Fed's rate cut [11] - Consumer behavior remains strong, with retail sales holding up, but this may not reflect overall economic health [11] Governance and Regulatory Considerations - The upcoming Supreme Court case regarding Lisa Cook could influence the composition of the Fed governors and their voting at the next meeting [9][12] - The uncertainty surrounding this situation adds complexity to the Fed's decision-making process [12]
Bitfarms: What's Happening With BITF Stock?
Forbes· 2025-09-17 14:15
Group 1 - Bitfarms (BITF) stock has achieved a six-day winning streak, resulting in a total gain of 126% during this period, with its current valuation around $1.6 billion [2] - The stock price of Bitfarms is currently 94% higher than its closing value at the end of 2024, contrasting with a year-to-date return of 12.3% for the S&P 500 [2] - Positive investor sentiment is noted for Bitcoin miners, with significant stock price increases for companies like Iris Energy, CleanSpark, and Marathon Digital, driven by expectations of U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cuts [3] Group 2 - Bitfarms provides cryptocurrency mining services through server farms in North America, validating Bitcoin transactions, and also offers electrical services to commercial and residential clients in Quebec, Canada [4] - A comparison of BITF stock returns with the S&P 500 index indicates that momentum in stock performance can signal increasing investor confidence, which may lead to further buying opportunities [5] - Currently, 23 S&P 500 constituents have experienced three or more consecutive days of gains, while 139 constituents have faced three or more consecutive days of losses [6]
How deeply will the Fed cut rates in the rest of 2025? Here's what economists are expecting
Fastcompany· 2025-09-17 12:58
With the Federal Reserve widely expected Wednesday to reduce its key interest rate by a quarter-point to about 4.1%, economists and Wall Street investors will be looking for signals about next steps: How deeply might the Fed cut in the next few months?There are typically two different approaches the central bank takes to lowering borrowing costs: Either a measured pace that reflects a modest adjustment to its key rate, or a much more rapid set of cuts as the economy deteriorates in an often-doomed effort to ...
US single-family housing starts, building permits drop in August
Yahoo Finance· 2025-09-17 12:44
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. single-family homebuilding and permits for future construction dropped in August amid a glut of unsold new houses and a softening labor market, shrugging off falling mortgage rates. Single-family housing starts, which account for the bulk of homebuilding, fell 7.0% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 890,000 units last month, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Wednesday. Permits for future single-family homebuilding decreased 2.2% to a rate of 856,000 units. Th ...
The Fed announces quarter-point interest rate cut. What it means for you
Yahoo Finance· 2025-09-17 12:20
Group 1 - The Federal Reserve is expected to announce its first interest rate cut of the year on September 17, potentially leading to a series of reductions that would lower borrowing rates for businesses and consumers [1] - Economists anticipate a quarter percentage point cut, as reports indicate a weaker jobs market than previously believed, with expectations of one or two more rate cuts in 2025 [1][6] - The current benchmark federal funds rate has remained unchanged at 4.25% to 4.5% since December, when the last quarter percentage point drop was announced [6] Group 2 - President Donald Trump is attempting to exert greater influence over the Federal Reserve, raising concerns about the central bank's independence from political pressures [2] - The Trump administration has been pushing for aggressive rate cuts and has taken steps to appoint his nominees to the Fed's board of governors, including the recent confirmation of Stephen Miran [3][4] - Trump publicly urged Fed Chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates more significantly than previously considered [4]
Investors All But Certain of Fed Quarter-Point Rate Cut
Barrons· 2025-09-17 11:17
LIVE Markets Stall Ahead of Fed Rate Decision Last Updated: 27 min ago Investors All But Certain of Fed Quarter-Point Rate Cut By George Glover It's Federal Reserve decision day, and investors are all but certain that they've figured out the central bank's next move. Traders pricing in a 94% chance of a quarter-point interest-rate cut, according to the CME FedWatch tool. The odds of an outsized half-point cut stand at 6%. The consensus on Wall Street is that policymakers will lower borrowing costs to suppor ...
Buffett’s Berkshire’s Short Term Interest Rate Path Differs From Megarich Peers
Yahoo Finance· 2025-09-17 11:00
Group 1 - The combined net worth of the world's three richest individuals, Larry Ellison, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg, is approximately $1 trillion, comparable to the market capitalization of Berkshire Hathaway [1][2] - The Federal Reserve is expected to cut its current funds rate range of 4.25% to 4.50% by a quarter point, with forecasts suggesting further cuts could lower the rate to 3% to 3.25% by Christmas 2026 [3] - The S&P 500 is projected to potentially exceed 7,000 by the end of the year, indicating a near-6% gain, driven by the performance of major tech firms [3] Group 2 - Berkshire Hathaway has accumulated a cash and equivalents war chest of $344 billion and has been a net seller of stocks for 11 consecutive quarters, reflecting Warren Buffett's strategy of waiting for more favorable valuations [4] - A potential one-point rate cut by the Fed could lead to a $3 billion reduction in Berkshire's annual interest income, equating to a 5% decrease in its operating profit [4] - Despite a significant equity portfolio valued at $300 billion, including a $66 billion stake in Apple, Berkshire's recent net selling could result in missed opportunities if investors favor technology investments [4]