Global markets faced turbulence by midday Wednesday as an unwinding of yen-dollar carry trades drove sharp losses in U.S. equities, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 falling 1.2% in intraday trading.
Rising expectations that the Bank of Japan may raise interest rates in December pushed the dollar-yen pair down by 1.5%, marking its steepest drop since late September. This triggered a wave of “risk-off” sentiment, pressuring major indices.
The S&P 500 dipped 0.5% by midday, on track to snap a seven-day winning streak, while small caps in the Russell 2000 remained relatively steady. Treasury yields fell significantly as fresh economic data failed to stoke concerns about an imminent change in the Federal Reserve’s interest rate path.
The U.S. economy expanded at an annualized 2.8% in the third quarter, according to a second estimate that matched earlier print. October’s Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, also came in line with forecasts, showing a modest uptick.
Traders continue to …
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