Global central banks tighten monetary policy
Markets braced for what traders dubbed a 'super central bank week,' with policy decisions due from the Federal Reserve, the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan. Odds of a quarter-point Fed rate hike at Thursday's meeting had climbed to roughly 92%, and attention had shifted from whether the increase would happen to whether it signals a single adjustment or the start of a longer tightening cycle. Analysts said a one-off move could actually read as reassuring for stocks, seen as the Fed reasserting credibility and Chair Kevin Warsh's commitment to controlling inflation without bowing to political pressure -- whereas signals of further hikes ahead could hit equities already trading at stretched valuations amid an ongoing oil-price crisis. SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes said a 'one-and-done' outcome would let the Fed show it is responding to inflation and acting independently while removing some uncertainty from its remaining meetings this year.
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As it ran
17 September 2026
- HKMA raises base rate by a quarter point to 4.25%, the first increase since 2023 South China Morning Post
- US rate increase should only have short-term impact on Hong Kong stocks: CICC South China Morning Post
- Trump Renews Attacks on Fed After Rate Increase New York Times
16 September 2026
- Investors await ‘super-central-bank week’ as US rate increase appears done deal South China Morning Post