A TON OF THINGS HAPPENED IN THE STOCK MARKET TODAY.
Here's a full recap:
1. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 bps for the first time since July 2023 in a unanimous 12-0 decision. In its statement, the Fed said Middle East conflicts and broader geopolitical developments contributed to the decision. The updated dot plot now points to one more 25 bps hike in 2026, with 12 of 18 officials expecting exactly one additional hike, 4 expecting two more hikes, and 2 expecting no further hikes. The Fed also projects 2 additional rate hikes in 2027, signaling policymakers expect rates to remain higher for longer.
2. President Trump is expected to meet with Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York next Tuesday to discuss the next phase of the Iran conflict, according to reports. The discussions are expected to focus on U.S. proposals for a postwar strategy, with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, expected to participate. The meeting comes as the administration works on a broader postwar framework ahead of the Sept. 24 Trump–Xi summit, where regional security and AI are also expected to be discussed.
3. Generac $GNRC signed a long-term agreement to supply backup power generators for Amazon $AMZN data centers, with total payments under the deal potentially reaching $8B. Initial generator deliveries are expected to total roughly $2.4B across 2027 and 2028. As part of the agreement, Amazon received warrants to purchase up to 1.69M Generac shares at $200.93 each, with about 308K shares vesting immediately and the rest vesting in stages as Amazon’s payments move toward the $8B threshold. The warrants are exercisable through September 2033. The deal gives Generac a major long-term hyperscaler customer as AI data center growth continues driving demand for backup power and broader energy infrastructure.
4. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said today’s rate hike removed a “dose of accommodation,” adding that the move shows the Fed is serious about restoring price stability. Warsh also said he believes the Fed can bring inflation back under control without damaging the labor market: “We don’t need to do harm to the job market to achieve our objective.” On AI, he said the Fed is closely monitoring developments but that decisions around AI’s risks and rewards belong to other policymakers, adding that the Fed’s AI task force is expected to report back by year-end. Meanwhile, White House official Desai called the Fed’s rate hike “rather unfortunate.”
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