Bond Traders Boost Bets on Half-Point Fed Rate Cuts by Year-End

A solid reading on US retail sales Tuesday did little to sway markets, with attention firmly on the Federal Reserve meeting. Investors are looking for clues on the path of interest rates that will shape the outlook in the months ahead, with some bond traders stepping up options wagers that the central bank will deliver at least one half-point cut. We preview Wednesday's Fed decision with Bob Doll, President and CIO at Crossmark Global Investments. Meantime, Asian stocks posted a modest drop at the open following a tepid Wall Street session, as investors held back ahead of Wednesday's rate announcement. Shares in Japan and South Korea retreated while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index edged 0.2% lower after nine consecutive days of gains. The S&P 500 slipped 0.1% Tuesday and the Nasdaq 100 ended a nine-day winning streak. Equity-index futures for the US posted a small gain. We get insights from Sean Darby, Managing Director at Mizuho Securities Asia. He speaks with Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Annabelle Droulers on The Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.