Asian stocks slip, rate cut hopes face pivotal week

Sydney, Dec. 11 (BNA): Asian shares drifted lower on Monday in a week packed with a quintet of rich world central bank meetings and data on U.S. inflation that could make or break market hopes for an early and rapid-fire round of rate cuts next year.

 

An upbeat payrolls report has already seen investors scale back expectations for a March cut by the Federal Reserve, though May remains priced at a 76% chance.

 

 

The Fed is considered certain to hold rates at 5.25-5.50% this week, putting the focus on the so-called dot plots for rates and Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference, Reuters reported.

 

The consumer price report for November on Tuesday will also influence the outlook, with analysts forecasting an unchanged headline rate and a 0.3% rise in the core.

 

 

 

ZH