Markets
U.S. FED slashes interest rates by 50 basis points
FED sees interest rate at 4.4% by the end 2024
Sep 18, 2024
Sep 18, 2024
FED sees interest rate at 4.4% by the end 2024
Pakistan imports approximately $2.7 billion worth of iron and steel annually
SBP plans to borrow a total of PKR 6.295 trillion from September to November
62% of IT companies maintain specialized foreign currency accounts
Indian shares dragged down by information technology and pharma stocks
Over 114,000 Emiratis now work in private companies, with 81,000 hired since the launch of the Nafis programme, which offers financial support and training to boost Emiratisation.
Company targets raising PKR 1.4 billion
This improvement is attributed to a reduction in the trade deficit and an increase in remittances
Talks to secure a new labor contract have stalled over issues ranging from wages and benefits to terminal automation
Industry sources informed Nukta that last year nearly 2.5 million bales changed hands without any legal invoice
Cryptocurrency market rallies as traders anticipate a Federal Reserve interest rate reduction, boosting demand for speculative assets.
Weak economic data and declining demand weigh on oil prices, despite concerns over potential supply disruptions in the Middle East.
Cotton arrivals till September 15 declined by 64% compared to the same period last year
Fed funds futures show 61% chance of 50-bps rate cut
Complaint states Shell ignored offers from other investors that offered a higher price
The loans will focus on climate-resilient infrastructure, social protection programs and institutional reforms to foster sustainable development
The Federal Reserve is set to cut U.S. interest rates for the first time since the pandemic.
Microsoft and G42 strengthen AI collaboration with $1.5 billion deal to establish two AI hubs in Abu Dhabi, focusing on responsible AI development and social impact
Massive infrastructure projects and government-backed initiatives drive the kingdom’s real estate market toward unprecedented expansion.
The Indian market showed a slight positive trend, fueled by expectations of a rate cut cycle from the US Federal Reserve.
While a 25-basis point cut is mostly anticipated, the market is closely watching the Fed's remarks on economic health and future rate cut plans.
Additionally, strong institutional investments continued to support the domestic market. Overall, the trend was positive, with significant buying interest in large-cap stocks, especially in the IT, FMCG, and private banking sectors.
India’s BSE 100 Index gained 0.06% or 16.13 points to close at 26,912.09 points.
The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) General Index closed flat at 4,395.20 points.
Pakistan stocks were closed on Tuesday on account of birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Crude improved on Tuesday. Hurricane Francine last week forced the shut-in of offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Concerns remain on the demand front, however, after lackluster economic data and oil consumption figures from China over the weekend.
Investors are also awaiting a Wednesday decision by the Federal Reserve, with fed-funds-futures traders pricing in a roughly 65% probability that policymakers will opt to cut the central bank’s key rate by 50 basis points, or half a percentage point, rather than 25 basis points, or a quarter percentage point.
Brent crude prices surged 0.74% to $73.29 per barrel.
Gold eased on Tuesday. Year to date, gold is up nearly 26% — outpacing the S & P 500′s 18% gain. That advance also puts the commodity on pace for its biggest annual increase since 2010, when it surged nearly 30%, FactSet data shows.
That strong performance comes as investors widely anticipate the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates Wednesday, and with inflation easing from the high levels seen just two years ago.
International gold prices eased 2.8% to $2,576.66/ounce.