Ghana lowered the key interest rate by the most on record after the pace of inflation significantly slowed in the West African nation and is expected to ease further https://t.co/wCioi5tHzn ...

Pre-market futures are up slightly this morning, countering the slight selloff we saw during Tuesday's trading day. Economic news out ahead of the open bounced pre-markets higher momentarily, but currently we're +20 points on the Dow, +8 on the S&P 500 and +50 points on the Nasdaq. Bond yields crept up a bit following these reports and in anticipation of the Fed meeting this afternoon. Earnings reports ahead of the bell show a few big changes from expectations: Kraft Heinz (KHC) beat bottom- line earnings e ...

Group 1 - Consumers in the US are becoming more cautious about spending, even on small treats like Oreo cookies, leading to a decline in revenue and sales volumes for Mondelez during the second quarter [1][2] - Mondelez's North American sales fell by 3.5% year over year in the second quarter, attributed to consumer anxiety regarding personal finances, job expectations, and inflation [2] - Many customers are opting for smaller packs of cookies that are more expensive per unit, contributing to a decrease in the overall volume of snacks sold in the US [2][9] Group 2 - The threat of tariffs has influenced shopping behavior, with companies like Conagra and Walmart planning to pass on some costs to consumers, potentially resulting in higher prices [7] - Tariffs may have also led to reduced availability of Mondelez products on retail shelves, as stores adjusted their purchasing strategies in anticipation of tariff impacts [8] - Despite the overall slowdown in food consumption and snacking, some consumers are still willing to spend on dining out, indicating a complex consumer behavior landscape [10]

AND I GOT THAT TO MEAN THAT I THINK HE'S GOING TO START RECOMMENDING LOWER RATES. >> JOINING US NOW, FINANCIAL TIMES COLUMNIST GILLIAN TETT. GILLIAN, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.LET ME READ TO YOU WHAT THE PRESIDENT POSTED THIS MORNING AHEAD OF THIS FED DECISION. HE WROTE ON TRUTH SOCIAL TWO Q GDP JUST OUT. HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE GDP REPORT THAT CAME OUT THIS MORNING, 3%.WAY BETTER THAN EXPECTED. TOO LATE. MUST NOW LOWER THE RATE.NO INFLATION. LET PEOPLE BUY AND REFINANCE THEIR HOMES. DO YOU EXPECT THE PRES ...

GDP Growth & Economic Strength - US economy grew stronger than expected in Q2, driven by trade balance and consumer strength [1] - Strong GDP growth and income growth were observed [2] - The GDP release showed overall economic strength [4] - Real income grew by 3% [7] Tariffs & Trade - $127 billion in tariffs were collected [3] - Imported goods prices have dropped, suggesting foreign producers are bearing tariff costs [6] - Revenue from tariffs is important for deficit reduction [19] - Approximately 40% of imports have a 10-15% tariff [21] - The EU and Japan have agreed to spend $1 trillion in America with capital formation [21] Government Spending & Employment - Government spending saw a 5% drop [3] - There are 70,000 fewer federal employees [3] Housing & Construction - Construction spending was a point of weakness in the numbers [10] - Construction projects were held up due to anticipation of the "big beautiful bill" [11] Monetary Policy - Core PCE is at 21% [8][14] - The White House respects the Federal Reserve's independence and analysis [14]

What kind of agreement can we make today at the Federal Reserve. What can we agree on. You be really interesting to see if the committee is getting more comfortable, having more conviction in there.You know, forecast that inflation may rise this year, but then, you know, come back down. So I think a lot of this discussion around what are the risks of the persistently high inflation. We know from Governor Chris Warren that he sees those risks as very low and that's why he's in favor of a cut.But is the commi ...

The Bank of Canada left interest rates unchanged, citing uncertainty posed by US tariffs, but kept the door open to more cuts if the economy weakens and inflation pressures stay in check. https://t.co/PuV24DPdZu ...

Industry Overview - U.S. restaurant sales reached $98.7 billion in June, marking a 0.6% increase from May's revised total of $98.2 billion, indicating strong consumer spending despite inflationary pressures [4][9] - The increase in restaurant sales is attributed to a broader rise in retail sales, which also grew by 0.6% in June after a decline in the previous month [5][6] Investment Opportunities - Investment in restaurant stocks such as Yum China Holdings, Inc. (YUMC), Brinker International, Inc. (EAT), and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CBRL) is recommended due to positive earnings estimate revisions over the last 60 days [3][9] - Yum China Holdings has an expected earnings growth rate of 12.8% for the next year, with a 0.4% improvement in current-year earnings estimates [7] - Brinker International is projected to have a 10.5% earnings growth rate for the next year, with a 0.9% increase in current-year earnings estimates [10] - Cracker Barrel Old Country Store shows a 9.4% expected earnings growth rate for the next year, with a significant 14.3% improvement in current-year earnings estimates [12]

Our next guest will weigh on uh weigh in on the deal environment, the Fed and more. Joining us now, Mullis and Company, Vice Chairman, Eric Caner. He of course a former Congressman uh of Virginia, served as House Majority Leader.Uh you you're like a Renaissance man. I could ask you anything. I know that from uh DC to the halls of uh Wall Street.I'll talk I'll start let's start with deals. Andrew loves uh talking about deals whether they're happening or not. I in the guilded age, George Russell and it's like ...

Market Overview - The S&P 500 ended a six-day winning streak, closing down 0.3%, with all major indices declining; the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.4%, small caps dropped 0.6%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.5% [2] - The JOLTS report indicated job openings at 7.437 million, slightly below the expected 7.51 million, suggesting a weaker labor market [3] Earnings Reports - Starbucks reported a miss on same-store sales in the U.S. but achieved its first sales gains in China since 2023, resulting in a 3% increase in after-hours trading [4] - Visa's earnings report showed a miss on income but a beat on revenues; the stock fell over 2.5% in after-hours trading, but consumer spending remains resilient, which is a positive sign for the economy [4] Economic Indicators - The forecast for 2Q GDP growth is 2.4%, a significant improvement from the earlier forecast of -0.5% [5] - The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged, with a 97% probability according to the CME Fed Watch Tool; a potential rate cut could occur in September with a 65% chance [5] Upcoming Earnings - Major companies including Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Robinhood are set to report earnings, with a focus on Meta and Microsoft [6] - Microsoft has made significant investments in AI and is expected to show growth in its cloud computing business, following Alphabet's strong performance in these areas [6][7] - Meta has invested over $14 billion in AI and is focusing on advertising revenue and progress in smart glasses, having partnered with Ray-Ban and Oakley [7][8] Upcoming Economic Data - The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index, the Fed's preferred inflation measure, will be released soon, followed by earnings reports from Amazon and Apple, and the July employment report [9]