Pacific Perspectives
Fed holds rates steady, takes less confident view on inflation
The Federal Reserve held its key interest rate in check Wednesday, reversing a recent trend of easing policy as it examines what is likely to be a bumpy political and economic landscape ahead. In a widely anticipated…
ASX flat as Fed holds rates; Nvidia slumps
Australian stock futures see-sawed on Thursday after Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell admitted he would like to see further progress on inflation and a slew of US technology names produced mixed fourth quarter results. ASX…
February rate cut and April election in play after inflation drops
The chances of a pre-election rate cut increased sharply on the release of softer-than-expected inflation data, firming the prospect of an April poll date and giving Labor a boost ahead of a campaign to be…
JPMorgan reveals its ‘super seven’ ASX stocks for 2025
JPMorgan has doubled down on its bet on Australia’s technology sector and is bullish on the prospects for property trusts, healthcare and consumer discretionary stocks this year, steering investors away from the big four banks.…
S&P 500 closes lower as Fed pauses rate cuts, Nvidia resumes slide: Live updates
The S&P 500 slid on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged in its first policy decision of the year, while Nvidia slipped following a strong session. The broad market index fell 0.47% to close at 6,039.31, while the Nasdaq…
The Fed meets for the first time since Trump’s term started. Here’s what to expect
Points The Federal Reserve gathers this week for the first time in the second presidential term of Donald Trump, who has already signaled that he wants lower interest rates. If virtually every indication so far…
Jun Bei Liu ready to open doors of new start-up
Sydney’s Macquarie Street, home to some of Australia’s most deep-pocketed money managers, has just welcomed its newest entrant: high-profile stock picker Jun Bei Liu and her new investment firm, TenCap. Liu and co-founder Jason Todd,…
Optus says tough new scam rules are ‘unworkable’
Telecommunications giant Optus says the Albanese government’s planned new rules that aim to stop Australians being plagued by scams on their phones and social media are unworkable and ineffective. But billionaire Andrew Forrest – whose…
How the ASX dodged the DeepSeek bullet
On the surface, the ASX defied Wall Street’s day of drama. But local investors spent the day puzzling over what DeepSeek means for the Australian tech sector. For the past few years, as Australian sharemarket…
S&P 500 rises, Nasdaq jumps 2% in recovery rally after Nvidia-led sell-off: Live updates
Stocks climbed Tuesday, recovering some ground from a sell-off sparked by the emergence of Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek that sent tech shares reeling. The S&P 500 advanced 0.92% to 6,067.70, with technology shares seeing the biggest gains among…