Financial Markets Daily Report18 September 2025
Markets had a choppy session on the day of the FOMC's meeting. US Treasury yields initially fell, stocks gained and the dollar fell on the announcement of the widely expected 25bp rate cut. But all later reversed course as investors digested a disperse dot plot which signaled a large group of the FOMC still remains hawkish. Treasury yields rose and stocks ended mostly flat.
In the euro area, sovereign yields declined ahead of the Fed's meeting (with peripheral risk premia remaining broadly unchanged), while the region’s main equity indices edged lower. Today, the Bank of England will announce its monetary policy decision, with markets widely expecting rates to be held steady at 4.00%.
Elsewhere, in commodities markets, oil prices eased (Brent down to $68/barrel) on reports of higher-than-expected inventories in the US. Gold prices also edged lowered after hitting a record high of $3707 during the session. In FX markets, the dollar made small gains against the euro and traded closer to $1.18.