Market Overview - Asian stock markets are mostly trading higher, influenced by mixed signals from Wall Street and cautious sentiment ahead of a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve [1][2] - The Australian stock market is experiencing a modest decline, with the S&P/ASX 200 index falling below 8,850.00 due to weakness in mining stocks [3][4] Key Indices Performance - The S&P/ASX 200 Index is down 30.30 points or 0.34 percent to 8,834.60, while the All Ordinaries Index is down 26.90 points or 0.30 percent to 9,101.80 [4] - The Nasdaq closed up 98.03 points or 0.4 percent at 22,141.10, while the Dow slid 273.78 points or 0.6 percent to 45,834.22 [9] Sector Performance - Oil stocks are mostly higher, with Woodside Energy up 0.2 percent and Santos gaining almost 1 percent, while Beach Energy is down 0.4 percent [5] - Gold miners are facing declines, with Northern Star Resources and Newmont losing almost 2 percent each, and Evolution Mining declining more than 5 percent [6] - Among the big four banks, Commonwealth Bank and ANZ Banking are down almost 1 percent each, while National Australia Bank and Westpac are slightly up [7] Geopolitical and Economic Factors - Concerns over geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict are impacting market sentiment and crude oil prices [10] - The Fed is expected to lower interest rates by at least a quarter point, with a 96.4 percent chance of a 25 basis points cut indicated by the CME Group's FedWatch Tool [2]

Currency Market Overview - Trading in Asia was limited due to Japan's market closure, resulting in mostly rangebound currencies [1] - The euro declined by 0.09% to $1.1724, largely ignoring Fitch's downgrade of France's sovereign credit rating to its lowest level, affecting the euro zone's second-largest economy [1][9] - The dollar steadied at 97.65 against a basket of currencies, despite expectations of a rate cut from the Federal Reserve [4][9] Federal Reserve and Rate Decisions - Investors are focused on upcoming rate decisions from multiple central banks, particularly the Federal Reserve, which is expected to announce a 25-basis-point cut [2][5] - Fed Chair Jerome Powell's guidance on future rate cuts will be crucial, with market expectations leaning towards a potential 50-basis-point cut [6][10] - The "dot plot" projections from Fed members will also be significant for market sentiment [5][10] Other Currency Movements - The British pound remained stable at $1.3554, while the Australian dollar approached a 10-month high at $0.6652 [5][9] - The Japanese yen slightly strengthened to 147.56 per dollar ahead of the Bank of Japan's policy meeting, where no rate changes are expected [6][10] - The New Zealand dollar eased by 0.03% to $0.5953, and the offshore yuan remained stable at 7.1230 per dollar [7][10] U.S.-China Trade Relations - U.S. and Chinese officials engaged in talks regarding strained trade ties and the impending divestiture deadline for TikTok, amidst U.S. demands for tariffs on Chinese imports related to Russian oil purchases [8][10]

By Chibuike Oguh and Amanda Cooper NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - Global shares hit a fresh record high on Monday as markets positioned for the U.S. Federal Reserve to begin its monetary policy easing cycle this week. Gold prices hit a record high as the U.S. dollar weakened. Traders widely expect the Fed to deliver a 25 basis-point cut at the end of its policy meeting on Wednesday, with the probability of such a move near 100%, according to CME's FedWatch tool. MSCI's All-Country Index rose as high as 977 ...

US stock futures inched up Monday morning as Wall Street turned its attention to a pivotal Federal Reserve meeting later this week. Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) , S&P 500 (ES=F), and Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) all rose 0.1%. The muted moves come after the major averages logged a strong week. The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) notched a fresh record, climbing 2% for back-to-back weekly gains. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) advanced 1.6%, its best weekly showing since early August, while the Dow (^DJ ...

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]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the potential for future interest rate cuts by the central bank, questioning whether these cuts will occur at every meeting this year or at a more cautious pace [1] Group 1: Interest Rate Cuts - The central bank is considering the timing and frequency of interest rate cuts, with speculation on whether they will be implemented at each meeting or more gradually [1] - Market analysts are divided on the likelihood of immediate cuts versus a more measured approach, reflecting uncertainty in economic conditions [1] Group 2: Economic Indicators - Economic indicators such as inflation rates and employment figures will play a crucial role in determining the pace of interest rate cuts [1] - The central bank's decisions will be influenced by ongoing assessments of economic stability and growth prospects [1]

Market Overview - Wall Street reached new record highs, driven by optimism regarding potential interest rate cuts by the Fed, despite inflation at approximately 2.9% and worsening jobless claims [1][2] - Major tech stocks such as Tesla, Microsoft, and Micron led the gains, while Apple faced challenges following a new product launch [2] Oracle Corporation - Oracle's stock surged approximately 36% in one session due to strong Q1 earnings, with remaining performance obligations (RPO) increasing 359% year-over-year to $455 billion [4] - The company anticipates a 77% increase in cloud infrastructure revenue for fiscal 2026 and projects long-term revenue to reach $144 billion, driven by AI and cloud demand [4] UnitedHealth Group - UnitedHealth's shares rose about 3% after reaffirming its 2025 adjusted EPS guidance of at least $16.00, indicating strong investor confidence [5] Micron Technology - Micron is trading at a resistance level that, if breached, could initiate a new uptrend, with technical indicators showing consolidation just below prior highs [6] Land's End - Land's End reported Q2 net revenue of $294.1 million, missing expectations of approximately $322.4 million, and an adjusted loss of $0.06 per share, leading to a decline in stock value despite raised full-year guidance [7] NIO Inc. - NIO's shares dropped nearly 10% following the announcement of a plan to issue up to 181.8 million new Class A shares to fund R&D, new vehicle models, and infrastructure expansion [8] Synopsys Inc. - Synopsys shares fell about 13-14% after Q3 non-GAAP earnings of $3.39 per share and revenue of $1.73 billion missed expectations, leading to a cut in fiscal 2025 EPS guidance [9][10]

Core Viewpoint - The controversy surrounding Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook involves allegations of mortgage fraud related to her property claims, which have led to a legal battle with the Trump administration over her position on the Fed's board [1][2][4]. Group 1: Allegations and Legal Actions - Cook referred to her condominium as a "vacation home" in a loan estimate, conflicting with claims that she misrepresented it as a primary residence [1]. - Cook has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to prevent her dismissal, marking a historic attempt by a president to remove a Fed governor [2]. - An injunction has been granted to Cook, allowing her to continue serving as a Fed governor while the legal proceedings unfold [2]. Group 2: Administration's Response and Investigations - The Trump administration has appealed the ruling that allows Cook to remain in her position and is seeking an emergency ruling ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting on interest rates [3]. - Bill Pulte, a Trump appointee, has accused Cook of inconsistencies in her property claims and has referred the matter to the Justice Department, which has initiated an investigation [4]. Group 3: Implications of Property Classification - Claiming a home as a "primary residence" can provide better mortgage terms compared to classifying it as a vacation home [5]. - Fulton County tax records indicate that Cook has not claimed a homestead exemption on her condo since its purchase in 2021, which would typically be expected if it were her primary residence [5].

Group 1 - BlackRock's Rick Rieder is a leading candidate for the next Federal Reserve chair, as the White House continues its search [1][2] - Rieder recently interviewed with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is focused on finding a successor to Jerome Powell and desires fundamental changes in the Fed's operations [2][3] - The discussion with Rieder included topics on monetary policy and structural issues within the central bank, indicating a shift from traditional approaches [3] Group 2 - The current administration has a list of 11 candidates for the Fed chair position, which includes various past and present officials, strategists, and economists [4] - The upcoming Fed meeting is anticipated to result in the first interest rate cut since December 2024, although Trump is advocating for larger cuts to alleviate pressure on the housing market and government borrowing costs [5]

Core Viewpoint - Gold prices are near record highs due to expectations of an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve following signs of a softening U.S. labor market [1][2] Group 1: Gold Market - Gold futures have risen by 0.2% to $3,680 per troy ounce, marking an increase of nearly 1% this week [1] - Analysts at Saxo indicate that the market anticipates a rate cut as a certainty due to weaker economic data, particularly in job numbers [2] Group 2: Federal Reserve Expectations - The upcoming Federal Reserve meeting is expected to be pivotal, with markets closely monitoring the statement and press conference for indications of future rate cuts or inflation risks [2]