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US Federal Reserve

A rising number of Hong Kong SMEs are struggling with cash flow, loss of business, and an exodus of investors and patrons. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong interest rate cut gives small businesses ‘more room for survival’

Lower rates will not only reduce financing costs but revive investor confidence and spending sentiment, experts say.

Lower rates will not only reduce financing costs but revive investor confidence and spending sentiment, experts say

Editorial | US interest rate cut is welcome but many challenges remain for China

Dump or buy more? China’s holding of US debt in spotlight after Fed’s rate cut

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Hang Seng Index closes above 18,000 first time in 2 months after Fed cut

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed above 18,000 for the first time in two months after the Fed cut its benchmark rate by a half-point.

Traders at the New York Stock Exchange watched Fed Chairman Jerome Powell on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Will start of US rate cuts bring tailwinds to lift China’s economic sails?

US Federal Reserve officially kicked off a rate-cutting cycle by announcing a half a percentage point rate cut on Wednesday.

Hong Kong banks trim prime rates halfway after Fed’s bold slash

For a typical HK$5 million, 30-year loan priced at prime minus 1.75 per cent, a quarter-point cut in prime rates will save mortgage borrowers HK$720 per month.

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US Fed slashes interest rates by half a point, first cut in 4 years

Central bank’s aggressive move follows a gradual reduction in US inflation and comes less than two months before election day.

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The interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve was the first since 2020. Photo: Reuters

When will China respond to Fed rate cut as economic problems mount?

US Federal Reserve expected to lower its benchmark borrowing rate, which could give China room to ease.

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CK Asset is first off the blocks touting new flat sale ahead of rate cut

Li Ka-shing’s flagship developer says it will put 558 units on the south side of Hong Kong Island on sale as soon as next month.

China’s stealthy yuan support ebbs, denting hot hedge fund trade

A lucrative trade that helped hedge funds ratchet up profits on Chinese debt instruments is starting to lose its charm, analysts say.

Chinese state banks had been using foreign-exchange obtained in the swaps market to support the yuan in spot trading. Photo: Shutterstock

Opinion | Whoever wins the US election, America isn’t stopping China’s rise

Any assertion that the US can reverse the trend of Chinese technological proliferation is not a serious argument.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens

Hong Kong HK$50 billion Silver Bonds issue a ‘win-win investment’: Paul Chan

Financial Secretary Paul Chan says bonds will offer elderly residents a safe and reliable place to park their money.

Macroscope | Bond boom a sign of reality catching up with bubbly stock markets

The recent skittishness of equities is undermining global investors’ confidence and driving them to seek safety in bonds.

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Editorial | Hong Kong renters look to cuts in interest rates for relief

Influx of international students and professionals to the city during property market downturn has helped push up residential rents.

A downturn in Hong Kong’s property market is driving an increase in rental demand, which in turn is luring more developers into the leasing market. Photo: Bloomberg

Yellen ‘probably done’ when Biden ends term, may meet Chinese counterpart soon

The US Treasury secretary says the US-China relationship ‘needs to be prioritised and nurtured’ by the next administration.

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US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen listens to a presentation during a tour at the IRS Processing Facility in Austin, Texas, on Friday. Photo: AFP

Macroscope | Gold is still the safe haven of choice in Asia and beyond

The gold price coming adrift from traditional anchors points to deep uncertainty about the world and concern for the global monetary system.

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Hong Kong rents set to hit record as talent influx fuels demand

The rental index is about 3 per cent away from the peak seen in August 2019, a jump that is not entirely implausible, JLL says.

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Macroscope | 4 reasons it’s too early to declare victory over inflation

Central banks might have kept interest rates too high for too long. Cutting them too quickly could prove even more costly.

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A construction worker climbs to the second story of a house under construction in a new development in Brambleton, Virginia, on August 14. US consumer inflation eased slightly in July, according to US Labour Department data, its smallest 12-month increase since March 2021 and a positive sign for the Federal Reserve as it weighs cutting interest rates. Photo: AFP

Opinion | US Fed is really in the business of running a bubble economy

The Fed has been running a bubble economy for a long time. A rate cut would help asset prices to stay high, which is key to the US model.

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Hong Kong property deals slump to 6-month low as support measures wear off

Overall real estate transactions in August fell 10 per cent month on month to 4,729 units, while value declined 20 per cent to US$4.4 billion.

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China’s yuan to continue to gain, but outlook hinges on Fed rate cuts: analysts

China’s yuan gained 1.9 per cent against the US dollar in August, which represented the largest monthly change since November.

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An employee arranges bundles of US dollar banknotes and Chinese yuan. Photo: Bloomberg

More ultra-rich Chinese borrow against stocks amid liquidity crunch

With Fed easing imminent, ‘clients are once again comfortable using their stocks as collateral for project funding’, HSBC executive says.

A view of Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District, and Central (foreground), pictured from The Peak on July 17, 2024. Photo: May Tse

Cash-rich buyers make most of Hong Kong’s Peak distress amid 50% price slump

Distressed sales in Hong Kong’s luxury property market have driven prices down by as much as 50 per cent, with opportunistic buyers snapping up bargains, Savills says.

Interest rates, US election adding to yuan volatility: Goldman

Moves by the US Federal Reserve, as well as November’s US presidential election, would discourage selling the yuan, Goldman Sachs said on Friday.

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Editorial | Stick to commitment on stable Hong Kong land supply

With the Hong Kong property market remaining sluggish there is no need to revive the old land application mechanism.

The landscape of Hong Kong’s New Territories region, near Shenzhen. It remains to be seen whether an anticipated interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve can reboot the moribund property market. Photo: Shutterstock

Macroscope | Why risk of US recession, not China downturn, is real cause for concern

The Federal Reserve’s priority must be to ensure fears of a deeper downturn do not become self-fulfilling, especially given what the US election could unleash.

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A cyclist rides past a “Now Hiring” sign posted on a business storefront in San Gabriel, California, on August 21. US figures for the 12 months ending in March showed there were 818,000 fewer jobs than previously reported in the largest downward revision since 2009. Photo: AFP

2,800 flats poised to launch in Hong Kong as market awaits rate cut

Property agents predict September sales may quadruple from August’s level if the Fed embarks on policy easing as expected when it meets on September 17 - 18.

Traders dump China, load up on EM bond ETFs as Fed cuts near

China’s local markets are likely to be avoided for rest of year unless authorities can give clarity on policy, said a Wells Fargo economist.

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US Federal Reserve
Founded in 1913, the Federal Reserve is the central banking system for the United States.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
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