- European markets fell as traders braced for the European Central Bank's interest rate decision following the Federal Reserve's quarter-point rate boost. Regional US lenders suffered due to resurgent concerns over financial stability.
- Energy was the only sector to do well in Europe after Shell reported a solid quarterly profit and kept up the pace of share repurchases. After announcing that it is in discussions with multiple potential investors, PacWest led a decline in US regional lenders in premarket trading as contracts on the S&P 500 crept lower.
- Markets are starting the month off with two major central banks announcing their interest rate policies, despite persistent worries about financial stability and pricing pressures. After its preferred inflation gauge fell for the first time in ten months yesterday, the ECB is anticipated to slow the pace of rate increases today. Following Fed Chair Jerome Powell's downplay of the likelihood of rate cuts on Wednesday, US stocks gave up their gains.
- As Chinese traders resumed trading on Thursday after a break, oil prices increased, recovering from an unexpected drop early in the session. After the Fed statement, Treasuries fell, unwinding some of their gains.
- IMF: China's economy will experience a decline in productivity and investment in the medium term.
- JPMorgan's Davis: This is definitely the end of the hiking cycle for the Fed.
