(Reuters) - The Bank of Japan kept interest rates steady on Friday but decided to start selling its holdings of risky assets, taking another step forward in phasing out remnants of its massive stimulus programme. Two of the BOJ's nine board members dissented to the central bank's decision to keep short-term interest rates at 0.5% and proposed, unsuccessfully, to hike borrowing costs to 0.75%. At the two-day meeting that ended on Friday, the BOJ decided to sell its holdings of exchange-traded funds (ETF) ...

By Leika Kihara and Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan decided on Friday to start selling its holdings of risky assets and two board members voted against keeping interest rates steady, suggesting the bank would phase out its massive monetary stimulus sooner than first thought. While the central bank kept short-term interest rates at 0.5%, board members Hajime Takata and Naoki Tamura proposed, unsuccessfully, a hike to 0.75% in a move markets saw as a prelude to a near-term increase in b ...

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Reserve has reduced its benchmark fed funds rate range by 25 basis points to 4%-4.25%, marking its first reduction since December 2024, which has implications for the crypto market [1] Group 1 - The Fed's dovish outlook has led to a notable reaction in the crypto market, as analyzed by CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie [1]

The Bank of England held rates steady in September, extending its pattern of alternating between cuts and pauses while signaling a more unified stance than in recent months. The decision reflects a balance between acknowledging the progress made in bringing inflation lowerAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own op ...

分组1 - The latest FOMC meeting revealed significant divisions among members regarding interest rate forecasts, with one member predicting a rate hike this year and another anticipating cuts of 1.25% over the next two meetings [1] - The economic projections from the Fed indicate higher inflation and growth, which contradicts the decision to cut rates, suggesting a potential failure to meet inflation targets for seven consecutive years [1][3] - The Fed's lack of clear guidance and reliance on historical data has increased uncertainty, which may hinder business investment and consumer spending [1][2] 分组2 - There is a growing call for fundamental reforms within the Fed, emphasizing the need for greater accountability and transparency to avoid groupthink [2][4] - The dispersion in members' views during the FOMC meeting indicates a lack of consensus, yet it also highlights the need for cognitive diversity to improve decision-making [4][7] - The Fed's current approach may lead to economic volatility, necessitating a clear policy anchor to guide the economy amidst significant changes in both domestic and global contexts [1][2][6]

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Reserve's dual mandate of maintaining stable prices and maximizing employment is facing increasing scrutiny, with a new bill introduced to shift focus solely to controlling inflation [1][2]. Group 1: Legislative Changes - House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill introduced a bill to amend the 1913 Federal Reserve Act, replacing the dual mandate with a single focus on price stability, similar to the European Central Bank [2]. - The proposed legislation aims to enhance the Fed's effectiveness by eliminating competing objectives and returning to its core responsibility of price stability [2]. Group 2: Economic Context - The introduction of the bill coincided with the Fed's decision to cut rates for the first time in 2025, primarily due to weaknesses in the job market, despite persistent inflation [4]. - Fed Chairman Jerome Powell indicated that the balance of risks is shifting away from inflation as the labor market continues to slow [4]. Group 3: Perspectives on Mandate - Former Kansas City Fed president Esther George noted that economic literature does not show significant differences in outcomes between central banks with single versus dual mandates, suggesting that dual mandates may allow for more discretion in responding to economic conditions [3]. - Stephen Miran, a new addition to the Fed board, raised questions about the Fed's mandate, highlighting a third function to promote moderate long-term interest rates alongside maximum employment and stable prices [6].

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Reserve's decision to cut its key borrowing rate by a quarter percentage point is viewed positively by the White House, indicating a cautious approach to monetary policy [1][2]. Group 1: Federal Reserve's Rate Decision - National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett mentioned that the administration and new Fed Governor Stephen Miran advocated for a larger reduction, specifically a half-point cut, but the Federal Open Market Committee voted 11 to 1 against it [2]. - Hassett expressed that a 25 basis point cut was a broad consensus and a good initial step towards lower rates, despite Miran's preference for a more aggressive approach [3]. - President Trump has previously criticized the Fed and suggested that the benchmark federal funds rate should be 3 percentage points lower than current levels, which is not aligned with the FOMC's future policy projections [4]. Group 2: Economic Context - Despite strong economic growth above 3% in the third quarter, which typically would not support lower interest rates, Trump argues that cuts are necessary to aid the struggling U.S. housing market and manage financing costs for the nation's $37 trillion debt [5]. - Hassett emphasized the importance of assessing economic variables and making incremental reductions, suggesting that the Fed's cautious approach is appropriate given the current economic conditions [6]. - The Fed's decision reflects a balance between various economic models and opinions, with Hassett describing it as a prudent call in light of decelerating inflation that remains above the target [7].

Core Viewpoint - The Bank of England (BoE) has decided to slow down its quantitative tightening (QT) program, reducing the pace of government bond sales to minimize market volatility while maintaining its monetary policy objectives [1][4]. Group 1: Bond Sales and Market Impact - The BoE will reduce its bond sales to 70 billion pounds from 100 billion pounds over the past year, with a target to lower its bond holdings to 488 billion pounds by October 2026 [2][3]. - The decision reflects a split among policymakers, with a 7-2 vote indicating differing opinions on the pace of QT [4]. - The sales will be allocated 40% to short-dated, 40% to medium-dated, and 20% to long-dated gilts, based on their initial purchase price [5]. Group 2: Economic Context and Future Implications - The BoE's bond purchases totaled 875 billion pounds ($1.19 trillion) from 2009 to 2021 to stimulate the economy, with QT beginning in 2022 [2]. - Long-dated gilt yields have reached a 27-year high, complicating fiscal planning for the government [6]. - The QT slowdown is aimed at restoring room for future monetary stimulus and reducing market distortions [4].

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. Federal Reserve cut the federal funds rate by 25 basis points, marking its first interest rate cut of 2025, but this move did not significantly impact the cryptocurrency market, which had anticipated a deeper reduction [1][2][7]. Market Reaction - The Federal Open Market Committee's decision to lower rates to the lowest level this year had minimal effect on digital assets, as the market had already priced in these expectations [2][8]. - Bitcoin experienced a brief increase from $114,794 to $117,198 but ultimately closed lower within 24 hours [2]. - Ethereum followed a similar trend, rising from $4,429 to $4,586 before retreating, remaining approximately 8% below its all-time high of $4,923 [3]. Liquidation Events - The lack of sustained upward movement in the cryptocurrency market led to significant liquidations, with around $400 million in long and short positions being wiped out within 24 hours post-announcement, affecting over 110,000 traders [3][8]. Future Rate Cut Expectations - Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicated the possibility of at least two more rate cuts later in the year, contingent on economic conditions [4][8]. - Futures markets adjusted to reflect expectations of two to three additional cuts before the end of 2025 [4]. Political Pressure - President Donald Trump reiterated calls for more aggressive rate cuts, despite dissent from one of his appointees to the Fed, Stephen Miran, who favored a deeper cut [5]. Market Sentiment - Analysts noted that the muted response in digital assets suggests a "sell the news" environment, but long-term sentiment remains optimistic, with expectations of increased liquidity benefiting Bitcoin and altcoins [8].

Paul, it seems that markets of various states are thinking very hard about things around the release of the statement and the press conference yesterday. Maybe risk assets just woke up this morning and said, okay, well, we'll take that more rate cuts. What did you take away from the Fed.Well, we could probably make this a ten minute hit rather than a three minute countdown to unpack everything that went on with the Fed on it. But I'll give you a couple of my thoughts on it. A couple of takeaways.One, the Fe ...