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Fed Turmoil Sends U.S. Futures Lower as DOJ Targets Powell

U.S. stock futures retreated as investors reacted to an unprecedented clash between the Federal Reserve and the Department of Justice. The downturn followed news that the DOJ has launched a criminal investigation involving Fed Chair Jerome Powell, injecting fresh uncertainty into financial markets already sensitive to policy signals. Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq futures all slipped in early trading, reflecting a broad pullback from recent highs. Tech‑heavy Nasdaq futures led the decline as traders reassessed risk appetite. The investigation centers on Powell’s testimony regarding renovations to Federal Reserve facilities. Powell has characterized the probe as politically motivated, suggesting it stems from tensions over the Fed’s resistance to political pressure on interest‑rate decisions. The episode has raised renewed concerns about the independence of the central bank — a foundational element of market stability. Investors are now weighing whether the conflict could influence up...
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European Stocks Surge and Bond Yields Ease as Markets Scale Back Bets on Rate Cuts

 

European stocks surged to a fresh two-year high, and bond yields eased as markets scaled back ambitious bets at the end of 2023 on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and other major central banks. The S&P 500 also edged higher, with the index poised to set a new record closing high, at the start of a week packed with big corporate earnings, European inflation data, Federal Reserve and Bank of England meetings and U.S. employment data.

The market is trying to understand the outlook for the U.S. economy as it is unlikely to require the deep interest rate cuts by the Fed it has priced in. Absent geopolitical shocks, the U.S. economy will grow better than expected with just a few areas underperforming.

The surge in European stocks and the easing of bond yields can be attributed to the markets scaling back their bets on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and other major central banks.



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