Fed, BOJ Tightening Week Puts Kospi’s 7,000 Rebound to the Test
Global financial markets are set for a volatile week as major central banks, including the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan, deliver monetary policy decisions in quick succession. Concerns about further tightening have resurfaced as oil prices and U.S. Treasury yields remain elevated and U.S. inflation came in hotter than expected. According to the U.S. Labor Department, the consumer price index rose 0.4% in August from a month earlier and 3.4% from a year earlier. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, increased 0.3% from the previous month, above the market forecast of 0.2%. That has pushed the probability of a 25-basis-point rate increase at the Federal Open Market Committee meeting on September 15-16 to nearly 90%. Investors are focused less on whether the Fed raises rates this time than on the possibility of further tightening afterward. The FOMC will release updated economic projections and its dot plot. Another key variable is how much Fed Chair Kevin Warsh leaves the door open to an additional rate increase. Higher long-term U.S. yields are adding to the pressure. The 10-year Treasury yield recently approached 5% intraday. If long-term rates stay elevated, valuation pressure on growth stocks such as AI and semiconductor names could intensify. The BOJ will hold its monetary policy meeting on September 17-18. Markets are increasingly pricing in the possibility that the central bank will raise its policy rate to 1.25% from 1.00%. If that happens, concerns over an unwind of the yen carry trade could deepen and weigh on risk assets globally. Oil prices will also be in focus. Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate have recently climbed to around $100 a barrel. If crude remains at that level, it could fuel concern over both U.S. inflation and further monetary tightening. In South Korea, the key question is whether the Kospi can reclaim the 7,000 level. The index had climbed above 7,000 on the back of an AI and semiconductor rally, but recently slipped back below that mark as higher oil prices and rising rates weighed on sentiment. Brokerages say oil prices and long-term U.S. yields will need to ease for the Kospi to extend its rebound.
Wall Street Rebounds After Five Sessions as Oil Falls, August CPI Meets Forecasts
U.S. stocks rebounded after five consecutive sessions of losses on September 11, helped by lower oil prices and an August consumer price index report that broadly matched market expectations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 509.19 points, or 0.98%, to close at 52,573.29 on the New York Stock Exchange. The S&P 500 gained 0.86% to 7,656.98, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.96% to 26,333.04. Investor sentiment improved as oil prices, which had pressured equities in recent sessions, pulled back. Brent crude for November delivery fell 2.8% to $104.61 a barrel, declining for the first time in six sessions. West Texas Intermediate for October delivery dropped 2.4% to settle at $100.05 a barrel, snapping a nine-session winning streak. U.S. inflation data for August also eased some market concerns. The CPI rose 0.4% from a month earlier and 3.4% from a year earlier, largely in line with forecasts. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, increased 0.3% from the previous month, above expectations for a 0.2% gain. Still, the inflation report did little to dent expectations for additional tightening by the Federal Reserve. CME FedWatch showed the probability of a 25-basis-point rate increase at the September 15-16 Federal Open Market Committee meeting climbed above 86% during the session. Short-term Treasury yields also moved higher as concerns over monetary policy persisted. The yield on the two-year U.S. Treasury rose to its highest intraday level since July 2024. Even so, lower oil prices helped ease fears of renewed inflation, allowing stocks to absorb the pressure from higher rates and end the day higher.
Trump Reaffirms Plan to Pay Every U.S. Adult a $5,000 ‘Trump Dividend’
President Donald Trump has reaffirmed a plan to pay a so-called "Trump dividend" of $5,000 to every adult in the U.S. In a Truth Social post on September 11, Trump wrote that "the $5,000 dividend will be paid" and that "our people deserve it." He said the U.S. is securing large sums through economic development and investment, and cited that as the basis for the payout. Trump also referenced last year's $1,776 payment to military service members, arguing that this plan could also be carried out. Trump ended the post by urging people to vote Republican. He did not provide specific details on funding, timing or the legislative steps required to deliver the $5,000 payment.