Skip to main content

Most Gulf markets retreat on interest rate cut worries

1 min Mena Today

Most stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Wednesday.

The Fed has left the policy rate in the current range of 5.25% to 5.5% since July © Mena Today 

The Fed has left the policy rate in the current range of 5.25% to 5.5% since July © Mena Today 

Most stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Wednesday, in line with global shares, as investors struggled with the possibility that the U.S. Federal Reserve may not cut interest rates as soon as previously expected.

Fed Governor Christopher Waller said the U.S. is "within striking distance" of the central bank's 2% inflation goal, but it should not rush toward cuts in its benchmark interest rate until it is clear that lower inflation will sustain.

The Fed has left the policy rate in the current range of 5.25% to 5.5% since July.

Most Gulf currencies are pegged to the dollar and any monetary policy change in the United States is usually mimicked by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) fell 0.7%, retreating from record highs it hit in the previous session, with Commercial International Bank (COMI.CA) losing 1.8%.

Tags

Related

United Arab Emirates

Etihad unlocks Asia and Africa with ambitious route expansion

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, is taking off into new territory, literally. In a major stride toward reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s standing as a global aviation powerhouse, the airline has launched four brand-new direct routes to Hong Kong, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, and Tunis.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.