Australia’s central bank is set to keep interest rates unchanged this week, with traders and economists highlighting that a tight job market and renewed inflation pressures may limit the scope for further easing https://t.co/wrIYBrD8e6 ...

Group 1: Annuities Popularity - Annuities are increasingly favored by financial advisors, with 50% allocating more client investments into them [1] - Consumer interest in annuities is also high, with 64% willing to invest in them compared to 36% for the stock market [2] Group 2: Market Volatility Impact - Recent market volatility, particularly due to tariff wars, has led to significant declines in the S&P 500, dropping over 10% in a week [3] - Growth-oriented stocks, especially in artificial intelligence, faced severe losses during this period [3] Group 3: Stability and Cash Flow - Annuities provide steady valuations and cash flow during market volatility, making them attractive for retirees who need stability [5][4] - Indexed annuities do not lose value in a market crash, offering a safety net for investors [5] Group 4: Inflation Considerations - Inflation prompts risk-averse investors to seek low-risk assets like annuities, which can outperform inflation due to elevated rates [6] - Annuities offer lifetime payments that remain stable even if interest rates are cut, protecting purchasing power against inflation [7] Group 5: Long-term Appeal - Persistent inflation increases the attractiveness of annuities for retirees, as they provide a reliable income stream [8] - While bonds are also considered, they have maturity limits and may not offer as favorable rates in the future [8]

Market Overview - The S&P 500 has reached 28 all-time highs in 2025, with September recording the highest number of new all-time highs since 2017 [3] - The median year-end forecast for the S&P 500 in 2025 was initially set at 6500 but was adjusted downwards after a market decline, now reflecting a modest 2% gain from a previous 13% target [4] - Analysts have revised their earnings growth expectations for the S&P 500 to 9.4% for the year, up from 7.1% shortly after Labor Day [4] Investor Sentiment - The BofA Global Fund Manager Survey indicates a bullish sentiment among 196 surveyed money managers, with the sentiment measure rising to 5.4, the highest since February 2025 [5] - Growth expectations among these managers saw their largest increase since October 2024 [5] Interest Rate Expectations - A significant 59% of surveyed managers anticipate either 2 or 3 rate cuts within the next 12 months, while only 6% expect an increase in short-term rates [6] - The percentage of managers expecting higher inflation has risen to 49%, up from just 9% in September 2024 [6] Market Performance - The Dow Jones Utility Average was the best performer for the week, gaining 2.3%, while the SPDR Gold Share increased by 2.2%, marking a year-to-date gain of 43.2% [8] - The S&P 500 experienced a slight decline of 0.3% for the week, with 1092 advancing issues and 1724 declining on the NYSE [9] Technical Analysis - The S&P 500 has surpassed its four-week highs in August, with a yearly resistance level at 6469 now acting as support [10] - The advance/decline line for the S&P 500 has been declining but remains above its weighted moving average, indicating a positive trend despite recent market fluctuations [11] Cash Levels and Market Dynamics - The FMS cash level was unchanged at 3.9% in the latest report, with higher levels in the 4.5-5% range deemed necessary to support further market rallies [13] - The bull-bear percentage differential shows a slight increase, with 41.7% bulls and 39.2% bears, indicating a bullish sentiment among investors [15]

Group 1: Tariff Implications - A new set of tariffs will take effect on October 1st, including a 100% tariff on some imported drugs, 50% on kitchen cabinets, 30% on upholstered furniture, and 25% on big trucks [1] - The pharmaceutical industry may benefit from a loophole allowing companies that invest in U.S. manufacturing to avoid the tariffs [6][10] - The impact of the tariffs on the furniture industry is significant, particularly for companies relying on foreign imports, while U.S.-based manufacturers may see stock gains [11][20] Group 2: Market Reactions - Stock reactions have been mixed across affected industries, with pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson seeing stock increases due to U.S. manufacturing investments [10] - Companies like Restoration Hardware and Wayfair are under pressure due to their reliance on foreign sourcing, while U.S.-based Ethan Allen is experiencing stock gains [11][12] - Overall, stock futures are up, indicating a different market reaction compared to past tariff announcements [13] Group 3: Economic Context - The tariffs are part of President Trump's broader strategy to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., which is politically significant, especially in key states like North Carolina [8][21] - The effectiveness of tariffs as a policy tool is debated, with concerns about labor shortages in manufacturing complicating the return of jobs to the U.S. [22][23] - The pharmaceutical tariffs specifically target branded drugs, which account for a smaller market share compared to generic drugs, potentially limiting their overall impact [16][17]

The tariff war isn't over just yet. October 1st, a slew of new tariffs will take effect, including a 100% tariff on some imported drugs, 50% on kitchen cabinets, 30% on upholstered furniture, and 25% on big trucks. On top of that, the Wall Street Journal reporting that President Trump plans to mandate a onetoone policy for chip makers to manufacture as many chips in the US as they do overseas or face hefty tariffs.Here to break it all down, Sam Stovall, CFR research chief investment strategist and Yahoo Fin ...

The first risk is that uh there's some delay in the release of jobs data next week which would be you know immediately after the shutdown is announced and it certainly does complicate matters for the Fed in terms of impact on the broader economy. These shutdowns tend to just be kind of drops of water in an ocean but it complicates the decision-m process. >> Everything of course depends on how long this is going to last in terms of the data. Yes, it's going to sort of mess us up in terms of data analysis.But ...

SynopsisA State Bank of India (SBI) report has suggested a 25 bps repo rate cut in the upcoming RBI monetary policy, citing benign inflation. However, most economists expect the Monetary Policy Committee to maintain status quo when it announces its decision on October 1. Views remain divided, with experts weighing GST rationalisation, US tariffs, and growth stability. ...

If today's politics really turn on the economy, as 81% of Americans who voted for Donald Trump said it did, then the economy might be flashing a red warning light to the president. Right now, 9 months into Donald Trump's second term, the national unemployment rate is 4.3%. 10.5% for young Americans ages 16 to 24 who face what is being called a no firing, no hiring economy. Just 22,000 jobs were added in August, and new government data shows employers created nearly 1 million fewer jobs over the past year th ...

Truflation is measuring inflation under 2%.Real-time metrics are much more important than antiquated government calculations. https://t.co/QjOFVUaoUY ...

Executive SummarySeptember 2025 marks a historic period for precious metals markets, with both gold and silver achieving remarkable milestones. Gold has surged above $3,700 per ounce, trading at approximately $3,723 as of September 22, 2025, representing a gain of over 25% since the start of the year. More dramatically, silver has risen to $46.04 per ounce, up 19.31% over the past month and 45.60% year-over-year, approaching levels not seen in over a decade and nearing its all-time high. The precious metals ...