News Archive – October 2025
Friday, October 31, 2025
Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned a December rate cut is not assured, prompting a swift re-pricing of short-term rate expectations and higher volatility.
Several Fed presidents released contrasting views—some urging pause, others supporting more cuts—amplifying policy uncertainty and market swings.
Nvidia’s stock rally pushed its market value past $5 trillion, reinforcing AI-driven concentration in major indices and reshaping portfolio flows.
Amazon reported robust AWS growth (approx. +20% y/y), driving a sizeable share-price jump and supporting broader tech and cloud sectors.
Insiders said OPEC+ members are likely to agree a modest production rise for December, easing tightness expectations and capping oil upside.
Crude trading turned erratic after reports and subsequent denials about a planned U.S. action in Venezuela introduced temporary geopolitical noise.
Remarks from the BOJ and board commentary suggested a tilt toward eventual tightening; the yen weakened notably, prompting government warnings on FX volatility.
European equities slipped as mixed corporate earnings and a soft eurozone inflation print tempered risk appetite ahead of policy meetings.
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Fed Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that further easing in December isn't guaranteed, tempering market expectations and increasing short-term rate volatility.
BOJ kept its policy rate steady but signalled a potential move higher soon if wage trends and inflation evolve as expected, nudging yields and the yen.
Equity benchmarks fell after large-cap technology names underperformed and central-bank communications reduced the near-term easing probability.
Crude held near recent levels as headlines of a U.S.–China trade truce supported demand expectations while reports of possible OPEC+ output rises capped gains.
After the Fed’s messaging, U.S. Treasuries sold off, erasing most October gains as the market scaled back probability of further cuts this year.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent publicly criticised Fed communication and said the institution needs review, adding political pressure to the central bank discussion.
October saw sharp reversals across major government bond markets; October 30 commentary highlighted the month’s large moves and shifting policy expectations.
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
The Federal Open Market Committee lowered its policy rate by 25 basis points, triggering broad repricing of rate expectations and support for risk assets.
After the FOMC action, Chair Powell warned that any December easing remains conditional, tempering some of the immediate market exuberance.
NVIDIA’s share rally pushed its market capitalisation past $5 trillion, reinforcing AI-driven concentration in major equity benchmarks.
Equity indices swung intraday as investors digested the Fed cut and uncertain forward guidance, raising near-term volatility and prompting sector rotation.
President Trump said he might discuss access to Nvidia’s advanced 'Blackwell' chips with Chinese leader Xi, prompting hopes for eased export restrictions.
European regulators opened scrutiny into Anglo American’s sale of Brazilian nickel assets to MMG, potentially delaying the transaction and affecting sector M&A sentiment.
Media and industry sources reported OPEC+ may favour another modest output increase, contributing to a softer oil price tone.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Market participants priced in an aggressive Fed easing after US inflation appeared softer than expected, lifting risk assets and pressuring bond yields.
Oil prices edged lower as reports of possible OPEC+ production increases countered optimism about US-China trade progress.
The World Bank’s Commodity Markets Outlook projected a sustained drop in commodity prices into 2026, driven by weak growth, surplus oil, and policy uncertainty.
The US consumer confidence index rose to 94.6 in October, surprising markets by improving even as inflation worries linger.
Trump met Japan’s newly-elected Prime Minister in Tokyo and agreed on critical-minerals cooperation, strengthening supply collaboration in EV and tech industries.
Bloom Energy reported a strong Q3, driven by growing demand for onsite power solutions tied to AI and data-center infrastructure, raising its expansion outlook.
Monday, October 27, 2025
Senior officials from Washington and Beijing reached a framework understanding on trade, de-escalating tariff and export-control threats and boosting market risk appetite.
Qualcomm announced two rack-scale AI processors targeting data-center inference, signalling broader competition with incumbent AI-chip suppliers and lifting related stocks.
Multiple sources reported OPEC+ leaning toward a small production increase for December, easing supply tightness expectations and pressuring crude benchmarks.
On Oct 27, oil logged modest moves as optimism about a US-China trade framework competed with OPEC+ supply-increase chatter.
Equity benchmarks in the U.S. and abroad reached fresh closing highs as trade progress and softer-than-feared inflation data lifted risk appetite.
A pipeline/storage fire at Iraq’s Zubair oil facility killed at least two workers; officials reported exports continued, limiting immediate supply disruption.