First Pass

48 stories from 6 sources

Markets Brace for Fed amid Trump Pressure and Tech Selloff

Day’s Recap

Global markets pivoted toward a packed macro calendar headlined by a Federal Reserve meeting and fresh presidential pressure on Chair Kevin Warsh to cut rates, while a semiconductor-led selloff pushed Asian equities toward correction territory.

Easing fears of US-Iran escalation briefly lifted risk assets and lowered oil prices, but the dominant thread was the prospect of a hawkish Fed surprise colliding with mounting credit stress from AI infrastructure spending. Fixed-income markets sent parallel warnings as long-duration bonds lost their crisis-hedge status and real yields surged, forcing investors to reconsider portfolio protection.

Supporting Articles

Kalshi traders are wagering that Fed Chair Kevin Warsh will reference a recent supply shock during this week’s press conference, with specific focus on terms like "oil" and "shock." The betting frames how traders expect the Fed to characterize inflation risks and the outlook.

4:52 PMCNBC

This week’s market setup hinges on a Federal Reserve meeting alongside heavy, market-moving earnings reports. Jay Woods says either macro guidance from the Fed or company results can quickly swing equity sentiment and positioning.

4:04 PMCNBC

President Trump publicly framed new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh as aligned with rate cuts but constrained by potential opposition from other Fed board members. The comments reinforce White House pressure for easier monetary policy.

3:06 PMMarketWatch

Citigroup strategists propose positioning for volatility around a potentially more hawkish Federal Reserve by using small-cap exposure as a preferred trade. The argument is that specific small-cap setups can buffer rate-driven jitters better than more crowded macro hedges.

9:39 AMMarketWatch

Global stocks climbed on expectations of progress toward Iran-related peace talks, helping calm energy and risk markets. Investors are still bracing for a potentially hawkish surprise from the Fed on Wednesday.

5:52 AMFortune

Asian equities fell further, leaving the region’s main benchmark down about 10% from its June high and on track to enter a technical correction. Losses were led by semiconductor shares as the chip selloff deepened.

11:27 PMBloomberg Markets

Other Developments

A curated list of other prominent stories from this day.

RBA Governor Michele Bullock said the Australian economy is cooling as expected, but the bank still does not know whether current rate hikes are sufficient to return inflation to target or if further tightening may be needed.

11:05 PMBloomberg Markets

ESMA authorized EuroCTP to run the EU consolidated tape for shares and ETFs. The tape will aggregate trading data across venues into a single feed.

4:24 PMFinextra

JPMorgan analysts say an in-house indicator has flipped to a buy signal, a setup they associate with subsequent gains in the S&P 500. The call leans on the indicator’s historical hit rate rather than a single macro catalyst.

1:35 PMBloomberg Markets

Municipal bonds sold off and now screen as the cheapest since March after inflation fears drove the worst weekly returns since April 2025. The move reflects renewed pressure on rate-sensitive assets and tax-exempt valuations.

12:30 PMBloomberg Markets

Global household wealth rose about $40 trillion in 2025, according to McKinsey, alongside a surge in the value of financial assets. The total stock of financial assets is described as reaching roughly $1.8 quadrillion, underscoring how much wealth is now driven by asset prices rather than wages.

2:30 AMFortune

China’s industrial profits expanded at the slowest rate of the year, showing a patchy rebound across manufacturers. The data points to uneven pricing power and demand conditions as sectors recover at different speeds.

12:28 AMFinancial Times

Make it yours

Build Your First Pass.

Pick your topics, set your cadence, and receive your personalized First Pass in your inbox. It’s that simple!