Group 1 - The Federal Reserve has been cutting interest rates, which has positively impacted the bond market, with hopes for further cuts due to slowing job growth and consumer spending [1][7] - The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index has returned approximately 6.7% in 2025, indicating a strong recovery from the historically poor performance in 2022 [2] - Investors are experiencing a more favorable environment for bonds in 2025 compared to previous years, with returns outpacing those of short-term T-bills [3][4] Group 2 - Treasury yields have decreased, with the yield on the 10-year note falling by nearly half a percentage point to 4.147% this year, contributing to the attractiveness of bonds [8] - The U.S. government's budget deficit remains a concern, with a deficit of $1.8 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year, which could influence bond market dynamics [14] - The additional yield for holding investment-grade corporate bonds over Treasurys has recently increased slightly to 0.83 percentage points, indicating a potential shift in market sentiment [13]

Crypto markets are getting bloody. Not only has Bitcoin’s price plummeted below $90,000, but the shares of some of the biggest names in the industry have lost huge chunks of their value. That’s despite many of them having reported record results over the past quarter and the increased softening of the regulatory environment for digital assets in the US. “Equity markets have navigated an earnings season of reasonable results, but sentiment has been overshadowed by novel macro headwinds,” Thomas Perfumo, ...

Blue-chip stocks saw a third day of losses on Monday as Wall Street's slump continued amid doubts about interest rate cuts, as investors looked ahead to high-stakes Nvidia (NVDA) earnings and the delayed September jobs report. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) erased modest gains to fall over 0.8%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) dropped 0.9%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) also slipped around 1.2%, or more than 550 points. Wall Street is already getting set for Nvidia's (NVDA) earnings on Wedn ...

By Howard Schneider WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said on Monday the U.​S. central bank needs to "proceed slowly" ‌with any further interest rate cuts as it eases policy towards a level ‌that would likely stop putting downward pressure on inflation. In remarks prepared for delivery at a Kansas City Fed event, Jefferson said he agreed the central bank's quarter-percentage-point rate cut last ⁠month was appropriate, ‌given increased risks to the job market and the likeli ...

The S&P 500 Index and its ETFs, like SPY, IVV, and VOO, remained in a tight range near their all-time highs last week as investors reacted to the falling odds of interest rate cuts in the coming meeti... ...

Core Insights - The article compares two growth stocks in Singapore: iFAST Corporation, a fintech platform, and Singapore Exchange (SGX), a blue-chip exchange operator, highlighting their growth potential and market positions as interest rates are expected to fall by 2026 [1][8]. iFAST Corporation - iFAST has transitioned from a fund distribution platform to a digital wealth infrastructure player, achieving a net revenue growth of 39.9% year-on-year to S$89.53 million and a net profit increase of 54.7% year-on-year to S$26 million for 3Q 2025 [2]. - The company's assets under administration (AUA) reached an all-time high of S$30.62 billion, growing 29.6% year-on-year [2]. - iFAST's profit before tax margin improved to 34.5% for 9M 2025, up from 22.6% in 2023 and 33.5% in 2024, indicating a new phase of profitability [3]. - Recent initiatives include the introduction of payment services and the approval to operate as an Electronic Money Issuer in Malaysia, which could enhance profitability [4]. Singapore Exchange (SGX) - SGX serves as the backbone of Singapore's capital markets, with a revenue breakdown showing that the Equities-Cash segment contributed 30.3% and the Equities-Derivatives segment contributed 26.6% to total net revenue for FY25 [5]. - SGX's net profit attributable to equity holders grew from S$445 million in FY2021 to S$648 million in FY2025, with dividends increasing from S$0.32 to S$0.375 during the same period [6]. - Recent partnerships, such as with Climate Impact X, and expansion in Foreign Exchange derivatives are expected to drive growth [7]. Comparative Analysis - iFAST offers higher growth potential with a revenue growth rate of 29.5% CAGR over three years, while SGX has a more stable growth rate of 7.6% [9]. - iFAST has a profit margin of 18.5% compared to SGX's 47.3%, and a lower dividend yield of 0.7% versus SGX's 2.2% [9]. - The choice between iFAST and SGX depends on investor preferences for growth acceleration versus stable compounding [10]. Key Catalysts and Risks - For iFAST, successful digital platform rollouts and margin expansion are potential growth drivers, while delays or contract risks could negatively impact valuation [11]. - SGX's growth will depend on market turnover and derivatives volume recovery, with lower volatility potentially limiting momentum [11]. - Both companies could benefit from macro trends such as rate cuts and improved investor sentiment [12]. Investor Considerations - Investors should monitor earnings growth and dividend policies for both companies through 2025, as well as valuation movements post-rate cuts [13][14]. - A diversified investment approach could involve holding both stocks to balance growth and stability [15].

US stock futures struggled on Monday to revive a rally stalled by doubts about interest-rate cuts, as investors looked ahead to high-stakes Nvidia (NVDA) earnings and the delayed September jobs report. Nasdaq 100 futures (NQ=F) fell roughly 0.3%, while those on the S&P 500 (ES=F) dipped around 0.2%. Contracts on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) also traded around 0.2% lower. Wall Street is already getting set for Nvidia's (NVDA) earnings on Wednesday, always an intensely scrutinized event. But th ...

US stocks wavered on Monday amid doubts about interest rate cuts, as investors looked ahead to high-stakes Nvidia (NVDA) earnings and the delayed September jobs report. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) rose 0.25%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) traded roughly flat. The three indexes had fallen at the market open. Wall Street is already getting set for Nvidia's (NVDA) earnings on Wednesday, always an intensely scrutinized event. But the stakes are even higher ...

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. stock market showed resilience despite global market weaknesses, with the S&P 500 recovering losses aided by bargain hunters, while concerns about inflation and the Federal Reserve's stance on interest rates influenced market sentiment [1][14]. Market Performance - The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 309.74 points (0.65%) to 47,147.48 but recorded a weekly gain of 0.3% [8] - The S&P 500 decreased by 3.38 points (0.05%) to 6,734.11, resulting in a weekly gain of 0.1% [8] - The Nasdaq Composite rose by 30.23 points (0.13%) to 22,900.59, ending the week with a loss of approximately 0.5% [8] - MSCI's global equities gauge declined by 4.37 points (0.44%) to 995.79, indicating a weekly gain of around 0.4% [8] Federal Reserve Insights - Federal Reserve officials expressed concerns about persistent inflation, with Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid highlighting that inflation issues extend beyond tariffs, indicating potential dissent regarding future rate cuts [2][14] - Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan opposed a December rate cut, citing high inflation as a concern [2][14] - Following comments from Fed officials, traders adjusted expectations for a quarter-point rate cut next month to a 46% probability, down from 66.9% the previous week [5][14] Sector-Specific Developments - The technology sector showed some recovery, with Nvidia, a leader in AI chips, increasing by 1.8%, while the smaller cap S&P 600 technology index closed up 0.3% [6][14] - Upcoming quarterly earnings reports from Nvidia and major retailers are anticipated to provide insights into consumer health and AI demand [6][14] Global Market Trends - European markets, including the pan-European STOXX 600 index and FTSEurofirst 300 index, closed down about 1% [9][14] - Asian shares outside Japan fell by 1.5% before U.S. markets opened [10][14] Currency and Commodity Movements - The dollar index rose by 0.02% to 99.26, with the euro down 0.08% at $1.1622, while the Japanese yen strengthened slightly against the dollar [11][14] - Oil prices increased due to supply concerns, with U.S. crude rising by 2.39% to $60.09 per barrel and Brent crude up by 2.19% to $64.39 per barrel [13][15] - Gold prices fell following hawkish remarks from Fed officials, with spot gold down 2.12% to $4,082.76 per ounce [13][15]

Attention is turning to when key data will be released following a string of delays as investors remain uncertain over whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month. ...