LONDON (AP) — Inflation in the U.K. held steady at 3.8% in the year to August, official figures showed Wednesday, a day before the Bank of England is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold. The Office for National Statistics found food and drink prices rose for the fifth month in a row, but airfares fell sharply after a big spike in July. Though inflation remains nearly double the Bank of England's target rate of 2%, most economists had anticipated a modest increase in August. Stubbornly high in ...

Core Insights - Gold prices experienced a decline of nearly 1%, retreating from a record high of $3,707.40 per ounce, settling at $3,658.25 per ounce, despite a 6% increase so far this month [1][4] - The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points and indicated a steady reduction in borrowing costs for the remainder of the year, leading to profit-taking in the gold market [2][3] - Analysts suggest that gold's price surge this year is supported by central bank purchases, diversification from the U.S. dollar, safe-haven demand amid geopolitical tensions, and a weaker dollar, with a 39% increase in gold prices year-to-date [4] Market Reactions - Spot silver decreased by 2.4% to $41.51 per ounce, platinum fell by 2.2% to $1,360, and palladium dropped by 2.6% to $1,145.44, indicating a broader decline in precious metals [5]

Jerome Powell has the opportunity to do the right thing tomorrow and cut interest rates by 50 basis points.Let’s see if he does it. ...

[Music] [Music] Hey, I'm Kramer. Welcome to Mad Money. Welcome to Cra.Other people, my friends. I'm just trying to make you a little money. My job is not just to entertain, but to teach, put in context.So, call me at 1800 743 CNBC. Tweet me at Jim Kramer. Not that long ago, pretty much everybody assumed that the next non- tech stock to cross the trillion dollar threshold would be the stock of Eli Lilly.Why not. They developed a weight loss and diabetes wonder drug with incredible prospects. Oh, but this mar ...

Holly Newman Croft. Welcome back, Holly. Good to have you.Thanks. Good to be here as always. It's quite a setup for Fed day with the stock market at record highs, the 10-year yield back down to 4%, gold up 40% into the year.H how do you view the risk award into the Fed. I think what's really interesting is how the shift in focus from the market has been on inflation and what the Fed's going to do to now a weakening labor market in a slowing economy and what the Fed is going to do. The bond market is telling ...

Group 1: Valuation and Market Performance - The current trading valuation for banks is around two times tangible book value, which is higher than recent historical levels, but this is not seen as a concern due to potential for continued outperformance [1][2] - The cyclical high for banks was noted at 2.2 times tangible book value in January 2018, indicating that there is still room for growth in valuations [2][3] - There is a significant discrepancy in performance among banks, with Citigroup up 40% this year compared to Bank of America and Wells Fargo, which are up 14% [7] Group 2: Regulatory Environment - The regulatory outlook for banks is considered the best in decades, with expectations of increased profitability leading to higher valuations [3] - Recent changes in regulatory leadership suggest a less onerous approach, with new proposals expected to be more favorable for large banks [4][5] - The new Fed chair is anticipated to support economic growth, which could benefit banks through lower interest rates without triggering high inflation [6] Group 3: Interest Rate Environment - The current interest rate environment is favorable for banks, with potential Fed cuts of 50 to 75 basis points expected in the next three to six months [10] - A steep yield curve with a Fed funds rate above 3% has not been seen in over 20 years, allowing banks to benefit from low-cost deposits while lending at higher rates [11] Group 4: Company-Specific Insights - Citigroup is viewed as a turnaround story, successfully exiting unprofitable businesses and focusing on profitability, which has made it more attractive to investors [8] - Goldman Sachs is performing well in capital markets, benefiting from increased IPOs and merger and acquisition activity, indicating a positive outlook for the company [12]

Core Insights - The CNBC Fed survey reveals significant disagreement among respondents regarding the Federal Reserve's actions and the implications of President Trump's influence on Fed independence [2][3][4] Group 1: Federal Reserve Expectations - 97% of respondents expect the Fed to cut rates by 25 basis points, but only 41% believe this is the appropriate action [2][5] - 41% of respondents think a 50 basis point cut is warranted, while 28% believe the Fed should not cut rates at all [5] - The current year-end funds rate for 2025 is projected at 3.6%, down 30 basis points from the previous survey, with a further drop to 3.13% for 2026 [6] Group 2: Concerns Over Fed Independence - 82% of respondents believe President Trump is attempting to limit or eliminate Federal Reserve independence, with 41% indicating a desire to limit it and another 41% wanting to eliminate it [3][4] - 68% believe that these presidential actions will lead to higher inflation, while 57% think it will result in higher unemployment [4] - 74% of respondents anticipate a lower value of the US dollar as a consequence of these actions [5] Group 3: Future Fed Leadership - Among the 29 respondents, 45% believe President Trump will appoint Chris Waller as the next Fed Chair, while 24% favor Worsh and 17% favor Hasset [13] - The process for selecting the next Fed Chair is described as transparent, with the Treasury Secretary actively interviewing potential candidates [17][18] - The survey indicates a growing interest in the implications of Fed leadership on future policy decisions [15]

Home affordability is a national crisis.Local governments have to deregulate and allow for more supply to be built, while the Fed should cut interest rates significantly.Obvious solutions to a painful problem. ...

A growing number of economists believe the Bank of England has finished cutting interest rates as policymakers struggle to contain a fresh spike in inflation https://t.co/67Qhdg3qUw ...

Even though Donald Trump did everything he could to get rid of her, Lisa Cook is still entitled to participate in the Fed's two-day meeting starting tomorrow as a member of the Fed's Board of Governors. That two-day meeting is where Fed Chair Jerome Powell will ultimately decide whether or not to cut interest rates. Trump has asked a federal appeals court to freeze a lower court's ruling, reinstating Cook to her position.He even said it was an emergency. But as of now, that court has done nothing to disturb ...