Yahoo Finance Top 5 Things to Know in the Market on Wednesday
Investing.com - Here are the top five things you need to know in financial markets on Wednesday, September 20:
1. Eyes on Fed balance sheet
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at its current range of 1.00% to 1.25% in its announcement at 2:00PM ET (18:00GMT) on Wednesday and also reveal its plans for the winding down, or tapering, of its asset purchases in order to begin, likely in October, the reduction of its $4.5 trillion balance sheet.
Market participants will pay particular attention to the Fed’s updated economic projections and, particularly, the dot plot that anonymously maps out policymakers’ individual forecast for interest rates with an eye towards whether tepid inflation has forced the central bank to give a more dovish outlook on the future path of interest rates.
Investors will look for further details and clarification from Fed chair Janet Yellen’s press conference at 2:30PM ET (20:30GMT).
2. Dollar and gold at odds ahead of Fed
The dollar remained broadly lower on Wednesday, as investors awaited the Fed’s highly-anticipated monetary policy decision due later in the day.
Despite the fact that the U.S. central bank was expected to announce a historic decision with the unwinding of its balance sheet, sentiment in the greenback remained weak.
Ahead of the data, the U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, dropped 0.16% at 91.47 by 6:02AM ET (10:02GMT).
Conversely, gold benefitted from dollar weakness, while investors waited for the monetary policy details.
The precious metal also strengthened amid potentially higher tensions between the U.S. and North Korea following harsh statements from U.S. President Donald Trump.
In his first speech before the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump said "the United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself and its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea."
Comex gold futures were up $8.51 or about 0.65% at $1,319.11 a troy ounce by 6:03AM ET (10:03GMT), pulling away from Monday's three-week trough of $1,308.10.
Apart from the Fed, investors will also digest existing home sales for August out at 10:00AM ET (14:00GMT).
3. Cable nears 15-month peak on strong UK data, BoE rate bets
Cable briefly broke through the 1.36 handle on Wednesday as strong retail sales out of the UK increased conviction that the Bank of England would follow through with a rate hike at its next meeting in November.
The pound moved higher after the UK Office for National Statistics reported on Wednesday that retail sales blew past forecasts in August, increasing 1.0%.
GBP/USD hit an intraday high of 1.3607, re-approaching Monday's 15-month peak of 1.3620. At 6:04AM ET (10:04GMT), it was last off session highs, up just 0.285% at 1.3538.
4. Oil jumps on hopes for OPEC cut extension
Oil prices gained on Wednesday after Iraq's oil minister said OPEC and other crude producers were considering extending or even deepening a supply cut to curb a global glut and investors turned their attention to official weekly oil inventory data.
While options being considered by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers include an extension of cuts in output by months, it is premature to decide on what to do beyond March, when the agreement expires, Iraqi oil minister Jabar al-Luaibi told an energy conference in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.
Traders also await the U.S. Energy Information Administration weekly report at 10:30AM ET (14:30GMT), amid expectations for a build in crude stockpiles of 3.493 million barrels.
U.S. crude oil futures gained 1.26% to $50.53 at 6:05AM ET (10:05GMT), while Brent oil traded up 1.07% to $55.73.
5. Global stocks see subdued trade ahead of Fed
Global stocks hit record highs on Wednesday in what was nevertheless subdued trade as markets awaited the Fed monetary policy decision.
U.S. futures pointed to a flat open Wednesday in cautious trade ahead of the week’s main risk event. At 6:06AM ET (10:06GMT), the blue-chip Dow futures inched up 3 points, or 0.01%, S&P 500 futures advanced half a point, or 0.02% while the Nasdaq 100 futures was unchanged.
Elsewhere, European bourses also balked from making bold moves, registering mixed signs. At 6:07AM ET (10:07GMT), the European benchmark Euro Stoxx 50 slipped 0.02%, Germany’s DAX dropped 0.06%, while London's FTSE 100 inched up 0.04%.
Earlier, Asian shares closed with mixed signs as investors awaited the U.S. central bank’s decision. Japan’s Nikkei closed flat, while China’s Shanghai Composite managed to pocket gains of 0.3%.
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