Stocks climb as Powell says rate cut coming

PARIS — Stock markets jumped on Friday after US Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell made clear that the central bank was ready to cut interest rates as inflation is cooling.

The dollar, which performs better when borrowing costs are higher, fell against the euro, the pound and the yen, which also strengthened after Bank of Japan (BoJ) chief Kazuo Ueda signalled that Japanese rates could rise again.

Investors had been on tenterhooks all week in anticipation of a key speech by Powell at an annual gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Traders were hoping that Powell would leave no doubts that a rate reduction was on the way after data earlier this month raised recession fears and rocked the markets. The next Fed rate decision is next on September 18.

Powell did not disappoint

"The time has come for policy to adjust," he said, adding that his confidence had grown that inflation was on a "sustainable path back" to the Fed's two-per cent inflation target.

"The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks," he said.

The Dow was up 0.9 per cent following the speech while the broad-based S&P 500 gained more than one per cent and the Nasdaq bounced by 1.5 per cent. All three had closed in the red on Thursday.

The Fed has kept its rates at a 23-year high after raising them to between 5.25 and 5.50 per cent in efforts to combat inflation, which has cooled, while central banks in Europe have started to cut theirs.

Speculation has been rife about how big, or small, the first US cut might be, and Powell did not go into specific details about the upcoming move.

Most analysts expect a reduction of a quarter-percentage-point but some traders hope for as much as half a point.

Powell's speech came after three Fed officials said they wanted to see more data before agreeing to a rate cut.

Data released this week showed a robust US services industry but also a rise in jobless claims and a cooler-than-expected labour market.

BoJ hike signal 

While other major central banks are easing their rates, the Bank of Japan made its second hike in 17 years in late July, a move that caused the yen to rise and contributed to a market rout.

Ueda told Japanese lawmakers on Friday that the BoJ could hike rates again if inflation and the economy performed as expected, and the yen rose against the dollar following his remarks.

A stronger yen makes it less attractive for investors who use the cheaper currency to buy higher-yielding assets such as stocks, a practice known as "yen carry trade".

The last rate hike caused investors to unwind such trades.

Tokyo and Shanghai closed higher on Friday but Hong Kong fell.

In company news, shares in Alibaba rallied after the Chinese e-commerce giant said it would upgrade its Hong Kong-listed shares to primary status, opening it up to China's huge army of investors.

In Europe, Nestle shares fell after the surprise exit of its chief executive, Mark Schneider, following slowing sales and negative headlines at the Swiss food giant.