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The continued repricing of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision later this week was the main driver of financial markets during yesterday's session. The probability of a 50bp rate cut in the upcoming meeting rose to 70% from 50% last week, and the total amount of cuts in 2024 is now expected to be 120 bp, up from 100 bp.

Investors started off the week on a mixed tone. In the money market, interbank rates rose as investors reassessed their expectations of further aggressive interest rate cuts. Sovereign bond yields also rose on both sides of the Atlantic, with the US treasuries' curve flattening as short-term benchmarks rose the most.

The ECB cut interest rates by 25bp for the third time since June, and as expected by financial markets, lowered the deposit rate to 3.25%. The decision was based on increased confidence that inflation is close to target and a shift to a more negative short-term outlook for the euro area economy.

Investors ended the week on a positive note, as risk appetite increased on the back of the ECB’s rate cut, another round of stimulus measures announced by the Chinese authorities, and strong Q3 US corporate earnings.

Investors traded cautiously ahead of today's FOMC decision (a 25bp interest rate cut is widely discounted) and the BoE on Thursday (expected to hold interest rates at 4.75%). On the macro data front, US retail sales rose 0.6% m/m in November, and in Germany, the IFO expectations index surprised to the downside as confidence in the country continued to weaken.

Unexpectedly strong US employment data released on Friday, posting 256,000 new jobs (165,000 expected) and a decrease in the unemployment rate (from 4.2% to 4.1%) cooled market expectations of interest rate cuts and drove treasury yields higher, especially for the policy-sensitive 2-Year bond.

Financial markets had a mixed performance on Wednesday. US Treasury yields were flat as the Fed kept rates unchanged and Powell said the Fed was in no rush to cut rates and will wait to see the impact of Trump's policies on the economy.

Yesterday's market sentiment was driven by the ECB's rate cut announcement, the fifth cut since last June, leaving depo rate 25bps lower at 2.75%. Officials kept the door open to further policy easing, given euro area GDP data was stagnant and could be hit by a trade war from the new US Administration. By end of session, markets expected 3 more cuts in 2025.

Yesterday's session was mixed across asset classes and regions. In the Eurozone, sovereign yields rose and peripheral spreads widened as countries grapple with the need for higher military spending. Separately, ECB's Schnabel argued the 2.75% rate is not undoubtedly restrictive, while ECB's Panetta argued that the consumer-led recovery is not materialising.

In yesterday's session, German bonds extended their decline, with the 10-year bund yield reaching 2.83%, and the euro appreciated against the dollar as the ECB cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 2.5%. President Christine Lagarde did not pre-commit to setting rates in any direction in the upcoming meetings, and warned of the uncertainty surrounding the effects of the trade war and increased defense spending.

Markets traded cautiously yesterday, ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy rate decision today. US Treasury yields were almost flat, as markets expect Fed's policy rate to stay at its current level. On the other side of the Atlantic, euro area sovereign yields were flat, as the German Bundestag approved a fiscal package to boost defence spending, as expected.

As widely expected by markets, the Federal Reserve left the fed funds rate unchanged at 4.25%-4.50% range. The Fed rebalanced its scenario towards higher inflation and lower growth, while the median dot plot again signaled two rate reductions by the end of this year, sending US Treasury yields lower, boosting US equities and strengthening the dollar.

US President Trump announced a 90-day pause on the so-called “reciprocal" tariffs for all targeted countries, but still maintained the 10% general tariff rate and raised the tariff rate for China to 125% after both countries’ authorities escalated the tension. US stocks rallied and the S&P had its largest intraday gain in over 17 years (+9.5%).

Investors' risk appetite rebounded slightly last week, a trend that largely continued into Friday's session. In the eurozone, government bond yields rose slightly, even though ECB's Holzmann, who had been advocating for a pause in rate cuts, acknowledged the disinflationary impact of tariffs and said the ECB's next rate decisions were "completely open".

Investors kicked-off the week with a quiet session following last week's heavy-data week, which included US Q1 GDP and euro area inflation. This week, markets' attention will shift back to central meetings. The Fed is expected to hold rates steady in Wednesday, and the BoE is expected to deliver a 25bp rate cut on Thursday.

Positive session across markets, fuelled by optimism surrounding the trade agreement reached between the Trump administration and the UK government, which has helped ease tensions and is seen as a potential blueprint for ongoing negotiations with other countries. Additionally, the Bank of England cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.25%, citing increased uncertainty in the economic outlook. In contrast, Norges Bank and the Riksbank held rates steady at 4.5% and 2.25%, respectively.

Risk appetite remained relatively high in the market yesterday as US inflation figures for April came in slightly below expectations at 2.3% YoY, with core inflation holding at 2.8%. Separately, the NFIB survey showed that small business optimism fell moderately in April. Against this backdrop, US Treasury yields were broadly unchanged.