NAS100 - Stock Market, After the Fed Meeting!The index is above the EMA200 and EMA50 on the one-hour timeframe and is in its long-term ascending channel. If the drawn ascending trend line holds, we can expect the continuation of its previous upward path, but in case of a valid break, its downward path will be smoothed to the indicated support area.
A week filled with significant events in global markets came to an end, with the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates by 25 basis points standing out as the most important development. Although this move temporarily boosted the U.S. dollar, it failed to reverse its multi-day downtrend. Fed Chair Jerome Powell sought to frame the decision as a “risk management” measure, but the dot plot indicated that policymakers hold a different outlook, keeping the possibility of further cuts by year-end alive.
Meanwhile, Paul Atkins, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), announced that in response to President Donald Trump’s request, he would propose a rule change to replace quarterly corporate reporting with semiannual reporting. In an interview with CNBC, he said this matter has been placed on the SEC’s immediate agenda. With Republicans holding a 3-1 majority on the commission, such a change could be approved by a simple majority vote. This move would disrupt the traditional reporting and disclosure cycle, making investors wait longer intervals for corporate financial information.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote: “This change will cut costs and allow executives to focus on running companies properly instead of worrying about quarterly reports.” He also added: “You’ve heard people say China takes a 50- to 100-year perspective on corporate management, yet we run our companies quarter by quarter. That’s not good at all!” Atkins stressed that the matter remains only a proposal for now and requires review, meaning it is not yet finalized. Significant lobbying efforts are expected around this issue.
Following a week dominated by central bank decisions, markets in the coming days will shift their attention to a wide range of inflation, industrial, and housing data. Alongside these releases, the speech of Steven Miran, the newly appointed Fed member, is set to be a pivotal moment for investors.
Monday will be packed with monetary policy remarks, with Andrew Bailey and Huw Pill from the Bank of England, Rogers and Kozicki from the Bank of Canada, and Williams, Musalem, Barkin, and Harker from the Fed scheduled to speak. Nevertheless, the spotlight will be on New York, where Miran will deliver a speech at the Economic Club at noon local time. Having consistently advocated for faster and deeper rate cuts, his comments are being watched closely by markets.
On Tuesday morning, the release of the preliminary S&P Global PMI for September will coincide with Jerome Powell’s first remarks following the recent FOMC meeting. A day later, U.S. new home sales data will be published.
Thursday will bring the Swiss National Bank’s monetary policy decision. At the same time, markets will receive final U.S. Q2 GDP figures, durable goods orders, weekly jobless claims, and existing home sales data.
The week will conclude on Friday morning with the release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index for August, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. On the same day, the revised University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey for September will also be released, offering a fuller picture of consumer confidence.
Currently, many leading financial institutions expect further consecutive rate cuts in the Fed’s two remaining meetings of 2025. In this context, upcoming speeches from key Fed members could shape expectations. Markets are particularly focused on comments from Waller and Bowman, who previously opposed Miran’s proposal for a 50-basis-point cut. On the political side, it is anticipated that President Trump will once again direct sharp criticism at Powell, a factor that could weigh further on market sentiment.
Separately, Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett, has fully exited its investment in Chinese automaker BYD, ending a 17-year-long position. The divestment followed a gradual reduction of shares starting in 2022, and according to Berkshire’s energy unit, the investment had fallen to zero value by the end of Q1 2025.
A company spokesperson confirmed that the position was fully closed. Meanwhile, BYD’s head of public relations expressed gratitude for Berkshire’s long-term support since 2008, noting that the ownership stake began shrinking in 2022 and fell below 5% by mid-2024. This investment is regarded as one of Berkshire’s most successful ventures in Asia.
