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Trump bump? Fed officials prepare projections into new presidential term

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Since Donald Trump's election to a second term last month, Federal Reserve policymakers including Chair Jerome Powell have said it is too soon to factor in the U.S. president-elect's yet-to-be-detailed policies into forecasts. But eight years ago Powell as a Fed governor joined the majority of his colleagues in doing just that, meeting records show, bumping up estimates for economic momentum and interest rates to reflect the expected effect of Trump’s tax cuts and other policies. So it may not be all that surprising that a growth upgrade for next year may be back in the cards again this week when Fed policymakers gather to deliver what is expected to be a third interest rate cut and to update their forecasts for growth, unemployment and inflation.

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Economists Boost 2025 US Inflation Forecast on Tariff Concerns

(Bloomberg) -- Economists raised their projections for US inflation next year on tariff concerns and now expect one less interest-rate cut from the Federal Reserve than they anticipated a month ago.Most Read from BloombergHow California Sees the World, and ItselfHong Kong's Expat Party Hub Reshaped by Chinese InfluxLondon’s Tube Fares Are Set to Rise by 4.6% Next YearAccording to the latest Bloomberg monthly survey of economists, the annual core personal consumption expenditures price index — wh

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German Business Outlook Slumps Amid Economic Uncertainty

(Bloomberg) -- German business expectations sank in December, highlighting the challenges for Europe’s top economy with snap elections likely to bring a change of government.Most Read from BloombergHow California Sees the World, and ItselfHong Kong's Expat Party Hub Reshaped by Chinese InfluxLondon’s Tube Fares Are Set to Rise by 4.6% Next YearAn expectations gauge by the Ifo institute slumped to 84.4 from 87, the Ifo institute said Tuesday. Analysts polled by Bloomberg had predicted a slight up

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Brazil Central Bank Says Record Low Exchange Rate Is Fueling Inflation

(Bloomberg) -- Brazil’s central bank said inflation risks are materializing due to factors including a weaker currency and resilient demand, forcing the board to signal unanimously that borrowing costs will rise past 14% by March.Most Read from BloombergHow California Sees the World, and ItselfHong Kong's Expat Party Hub Reshaped by Chinese InfluxLondon’s Tube Fares Are Set to Rise by 4.6% Next Year“Upside inflation risks, such as the resilience of services inflation, the deanchoring of expectat

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Fed caution, inflation risks propel US Treasury yield forecasts higher again- Reuters poll

U.S. Treasury yield forecasts from bond strategists have marched higher for a second month amid expectations of limited remaining Federal Reserve rate reductions and rising inflation risks in 2025, a Reuters survey found. Having kicked off its easing cycle with a jumbo half-percentage point cut in September, the central bank has lowered its fed funds rate by 75 basis points and looks set to trim another 25 bps on Wednesday to 4.25%-4.50%. Yet, since the first reduction, the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury yield, which moves inversely to prices, has shot up around 70 basis points - hitting a near six-month high of 4.50% last month.

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Morning Bid: Bonds agitated as Fed meets, G7 politics rumble

Even with another Federal Reserve interest rate cut this week baked in to market pricing, U.S. Treasury bonds appear anxious again about the year ahead - with political upheavals in Germany and Canada clouding the overseas picture. As the Fed meets for the last time this year, there's little doubt in futures markets that it will cut another quarter point off its policy rate. But with the sort of roaring growth in the dominant U.S. services sector seen in this week's December surveys, record high stock markets and likely tax cuts ahead, barely two more cuts are expected next year and Fed policymakers are expected to lift their estimate of long-run neutral rates above 3%.

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Gold Falls Alongside Stocks, Commodities Ahead of Fed Decision

(Bloomberg) -- Gold slipped along with most commodities and equity markets, as traders face a rush of interest-rate decisions by major central banks, including the US Federal Reserve.Most Read from BloombergHow California Sees the World, and ItselfHong Kong's Expat Party Hub Reshaped by Chinese InfluxLondon’s Tube Fares Are Set to Rise by 4.6% Next YearBullion traded near $2,640 an ounce, after notching a modest gain in the previous session as investors parsed mixed US data. Activity at US servi

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Oil dips on demand concerns, focus on Fed meeting

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices were down on Tuesday as China's economic data renewed demand concerns, while investors remained cautious ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. Prices were "weighed on by profit-taking after last week's 6% rally and a batch of disappointing Chinese economic data yesterday," IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said. On Monday, prices fell from multi-week highs on unexpected weakness in consumer spending data from China, despite strength in industrial output, and as investors moved into a holding pattern ahead of the Fed's meeting.

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Dollar holds firm as traders bet on cautious Fed in 2025

LONDON/SINGAPORE (Reuters) -The dollar held firm on Tuesday ahead of an expected interest rate cut in the United States, as traders grow increasingly convinced the Federal Reserve will lower borrowing rates only gradually next year. The euro, which is heading for a drop of nearly 5% against the dollar this year, traded at $1.04823 ahead of the Fed decision. The Fed announces its interest rate decision on Wednesday and interest rate futures imply a 94% chance of a cut, even as services-sector activity leapt to a three-year high, according to an S&P Global purchasing managers survey.

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Germany Cuts Federal Debt Sales 13% to €380 Billion in 2025

(Bloomberg) -- Germany will reduce federal debt sales by 13% next year as the government scales back despite a sputtering economy and pressure to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia. Most Read from BloombergHow California Sees the World, and ItselfHong Kong's Expat Party Hub Reshaped by Chinese InfluxLondon’s Tube Fares Are Set to Rise by 4.6% Next YearWith a change of power pending, the administration intends to sell about €380 billion ($400 billion) in securities, according to a statement

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