Stocks dip as Powell warns of more rate hikes / Photo: Drew Angerer - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
Stocks dip as Powell warns of more rate hikes
Stock markets fell Wednesday as investors fretted about stubbornly high inflation in Britain and warnings from US Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell that further interest rate hikes were likely.
In written testimony before testifying in Congress later Wednesday, Powell said "nearly all" Fed policymakers agreed on the need to "raise interest rates somewhat further by the end of the year."
The US central bank last week held rates steady after 10 straight increases, but signalled more hikes could come to bring prices under control.
Investors are equally eager to hear his take on the near global banking crisis in March triggered in the aftermath of the collapse of a number of regional lenders.
Wall Street was lower in morning deals while London and eurozone markets dipped after data showed UK inflation remained unchanged at 8.7 percent in May.
Markets had expected consumer prices to cool but now fear the Bank of England could go for a bigger rate hike than previously thought at a meeting on Thursday to tame inflation.
"The impact of further monetary tightening on the British economy is likely to hinder economic activity and ultimately cause a contraction," said Ricardo Evangelista, senior analyst at ActivTrades.
The anxiety in the United States and Europe follows disappointment across market floors this week with Beijing's moves to try and revive the Chinese economy.
The People's Bank of China reduced its benchmark five-year rate by 10 basis points on Tuesday, less than the 15 points expected.
Uncertainty over the Chinese economy, which continues to show signs of weakness as the post-Covid rebound fades, also weighed on the yuan, which on Wednesday briefly fell past 7.2 per dollar for the first time since November.
"Developments in China... continue to point to a slower-than-predicted post-pandemic recovery in the world's second-largest economy," added Evangelista.
"With China's economy struggling to regain momentum, the headwinds for the global economy get stronger."
The Shanghai stock market closed down 1.3 percent and Hong Kong lost two percent.
- Key figures around 1400 GMT -
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 33,895.23 points
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 7,549.13
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.6 percent at 16,019.32
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.6 percent at 7,250.06
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.5 percent at 4,322.49
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 33,575.14 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 2.0 percent at 19,218.35 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.3 percent at 3,197.90 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0926 from $1.0918 on Tuesday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2717 from $1.2766
Dollar/yen: UP at 142.27 from 141.40 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 85.86 pence from 85.50 pence
Brent North Sea crude: UP 0.8 percent at $76.49 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.0 percent at $71.90 per barrel
burs-giv/lth
R.Gutierrez--RTC
