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BOE’s Bailey Backs Market on Close Call at Next Rates Decision

(Bloomberg) -- Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said market bets putting its next interest-rate decision on a knife-edge are a “reasonable starting point.”Most Read from BloombergNYPD Car Chases Are Becoming More Frequent — and More DangerousNew York City’s Historic Preservation Movement Is Having a Midlife CrisisDakar’s Air Quality Plummets as Saharan Dust Descends on SenegalIn an interview following the BOE’s decision to hold rates at 4.75% on Thursday, Bailey said that the “world is too

Wall St bounces back after Fed's hawkish cut triggers selloff

Wall Street's main indexes regained some ground on Thursday, a day after the Federal Reserve's projections of fewer-than-expected interest rate cuts and higher inflation next year wrong-footed some investors and pummeled U.S. stocks. The Fed on Wednesday said it expects to make just two 25 basis point cuts in 2025, half a percentage point less than its September forecast and raised inflation expectations for the first year of the new Trump administration, sending the three main U.S. stock indexes to their sharpest daily declines since August. Traders now see just one quarter-point rate reduction by mid-2025, and see less than two cuts in total by the end of the year, compared with last week's expectations of three rate cuts.

ConAgra Brands Stock Slips After Lowering FY25 Earnings Outlook, CEO Cautions Of Headwinds Ahead

ConAgra Brands, Inc. (NYSE:CAG) shares are trading slightly lower in the morning session on Thursday. The company reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 70 cents, beating the analyst consensus estimate of 67 cents. Quarterly sales of $3.195 billion, beating the street view of $3.149 billion. The results show a 0.4% decrease in net sales, with organic net sales up by 0.3%. The 0.3% increase in organic net sales was driven by a 0.1% negative impact from price/mix and a 0.4% increas

Conagra trims profit forecast as higher inflation, promotions to dent margins

(Reuters) -Conagra Brands on Thursday joined rival General Mills in trimming its annual profit forecast and warning that price cuts on its products across grocery, snacks and frozen food items to spark demand will weigh on margins. Consumers, wary of higher grocery prices, have turned to cheaper private label brands, hurting sales at packaged food companies including Conagra, Campbell's Co, Kraft Heinz and JM Smucker. Conagra, which typically caters to more budget-strapped customers, said volumes improved in the snacking and staples categories such as microwave popcorn, and frozen vegetables on the back of promotions, thought it remains cautious on deep discounting.

Will Bitcoin Crash in 2025?

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is back in the zeitgeist. For better or worse, the leading cryptocurrency is gaining popularity once again after seeing a massive price increase in 2024. After rising around 140% year to date (YTD), the price of Bitcoin has now broken through $100,000.

Oil edges higher on falling US crude inventories, Fed's 2025 outlook limits gains

(Reuters) -Oil prices rose slightly on Thursday, supported by falling U.S. crude inventories, though gains were limited after the U.S. Federal Reserve signalled it would slow the pace of interest rate cuts in 2025, a move that could dampen economic growth, reduce fuel demand, and strengthen the dollar. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for January delivery gained 68 cents, or 0.96% to $71.26. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut interest rates and signalled it will slow the pace at which borrowing costs fall further, given a relatively stable unemployment rate and little recent improvement in inflation.

US third-quarter economic growth revised higher

The U.S. economy grew faster than previously estimated in the third quarter, driven by robust consumer spending. Gross domestic product increased at an upwardly revised 3.1% annualized rate, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis said in its third estimate of third-quarter GDP on Thursday. The revision reflected upgrades to consumer spending and export growth, which offset a downward revision to private inventory investment and upward revision to imports.