[Fed Meeting Minutes to Reveal Rate Direction, Market Expectations Diverge]
The Federal Reserve's October policy meeting minutes will be released next Thursday at dawn (UTC+8), as investor uncertainty over the U.S. interest rate path intensifies. Last month, the Fed lowered the benchmark interest rate to the 3.75%-4% range, but Chair Powell did not signal another rate cut in December. Previously, the market had priced in a 25 basis point rate cut in December, but Powell stated that further rate cuts by year-end are not a foregone conclusion, reshaping market expectations. Boston Fed President Collins questioned a rate cut next month, stating that the threshold for additional easing is relatively high. During the U.S. government shutdown, key economic data was not released, and Morgan Stanley analysts pointed out that the lack of data will leave the Fed facing an information gap in its December decision-making process.