The Federal Reserve meets this week to set U.S. interest rates. The Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) is likely to reduce the target rate by 25 basis points to 3.50% to 3.75% when it announces its decision on Dec. 10, according to the CME's Fedwatch tool. Lower rates often tend to encourage investing in riskier, more volatile assets such as cryptocurrencies and equities in the search for higher returns. Do Kwon, founder of Terraform Labs, is set to be sentenced Dec. 11 after he pleaded guilty to defra ...

Group 1 - Global equity funds experienced inflows for the ninth consecutive week, with a net purchase of $4.43 billion during the week to November 19, slightly up from the previous week's $4.39 billion [1] - The third-quarter earnings season was strong, particularly in the tech sector, with profits for 4,448 large- and mid-cap companies rising approximately 15.66% year-over-year, exceeding analyst expectations of an 8.23% increase [2] - The MSCI World Index fell to a nearly 2-1/2-month low of 963.34 due to uncertainties regarding U.S. interest rates and concerns over high valuations in the technology sector [3] Group 2 - The healthcare sector saw a significant inflow of $2.46 billion, marking the largest weekly inflow since at least 2022, while consumer discretionary and tech sectors experienced net sales of $1.12 billion and $895 million, respectively [4] - Global bond funds attracted a net inflow of $10.55 billion, continuing a streak of 31 weeks of inflows, with short-term bond funds drawing $4.76 billion [5] - In emerging markets, equity funds saw a net addition of $2.05 billion for the fourth consecutive week, while bond funds experienced a net outflow of approximately $1.04 billion [6]

Core Insights - Wall Street is closely monitoring Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's statements as stock prices reach record highs [1] - Investors are anticipating further guidance on the potential reduction of U.S. interest rates from the Federal Reserve [1] Summary by Categories Market Reaction - Stocks have surged to record highs, indicating strong investor confidence and market optimism [1] Federal Reserve Insights - Jerome Powell's upcoming remarks are expected to provide clarity on the Federal Reserve's interest rate cut strategy [1]

Core Viewpoint - The new Federal Reserve official Stephen Miran expressed concerns that U.S. interest rates are excessively high, which could lead to unnecessary layoffs and increased unemployment if not significantly reduced [1] Group 1 - Stephen Miran's first major speech highlighted the risks associated with high interest rates [1] - The potential consequences of maintaining high interest rates include unnecessary layoffs and a rise in unemployment [1]