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Fed Poised for First 2025 Rate Cut as Weak Jobs Data Outweigh Inflation Concerns

  The Federal Reserve seal at its Washington, D.C. headquarters, where policymakers are set to decide on the first interest rate cut of 2025. The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to lower its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points today, marking its first rate cut of 2025 and the first since December last year. The move would bring the federal funds target range down to 4.00%–4.25%, as policymakers respond to slowing job growth and rising unemployment, even as inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% target. Recent labor market data showed just 22,000 jobs added in August, with earlier months revised downward, while the unemployment rate has climbed to around 4.3%. Inflation, measured by the Fed’s preferred PCE index, has edged higher in recent months, partly due to tariffs pushing up consumer prices. Markets have largely priced in the cut, with investors watching the Fed’s updated “dot plot” for clues on whether more reductions will follow in October and December. The decision ...

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Trump and Republicans Set Ambitious 100-Day Agenda with Focus on Tax Cuts


In a bold move, President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican majority in Congress are gearing up for an ambitious 100-day agenda, with tax cuts taking center stage. The plan aims to renew approximately $4 trillion in expiring GOP tax cuts, a hallmark of Trump's first term. 

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise emphasized the urgency of being prepared from Day 1, as GOP lawmakers have been meeting privately with Trump to outline their strategy. The proposed policies will reignite debates on America's priorities, income inequality, and the size and scope of government, especially given the mounting federal deficits nearing $2 trillion annually.

The tax cuts, initially passed in 2017, have significantly benefited higher-income households, with the top 1% receiving substantial reductions. As Republicans prepare to extend and enhance these cuts, they also plan to lower the corporate tax rate further and eliminate taxes on tips and overtime pay.

This ambitious agenda will test whether Trump and his allies can deliver the outcomes voters expect, having granted them control of both Congress and the White House.


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