Pound pressured by BoE and politics – MUFG

PANews reported on September 18th, according to the Securities Times, that at 2:00 AM Beijing time on September 18th, the Federal Reserve announced a 25 basis point interest rate cut, lowering the federal funds rate from 4.25%-4.50% to 4.00%-4.25%, in line with market expectations. The Fed's interest rate announcement triggered a sharp market reaction, with the three major US stock indices rising briefly before quickly plunging. The US dollar index plummeted, briefly hitting a new low since 2025, before rebounding sharply, turning a decline into an upward trend. The sharp market volatility was closely tied to the subsequent monetary policy press conference held by Federal Reserve Chairman Powell. He stated that the 50 basis point rate cut lacked broad support and that there was no need for a swift adjustment. Today's move could be viewed as a risk-management cut, suggesting the Fed will not enter a sustained cycle of rate cuts. Powell reiterated the Fed's unwavering commitment to maintaining its independence. Market participants are currently unaware of the risks to the Fed's independence. The latest published interest rate dot plot shows that the median expectation of Fed officials is to cut interest rates twice more this year (by 25 basis points each), one more than predicted in June this year. At the same time, Fed officials expect that after three rate cuts this year, there will be another 25 basis point cut in 2026 and 2027.

The post SEC clears framework for fast-tracked crypto ETF listings appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved new generic listing standards for spot crypto exchange-traded funds, clearing the way for faster approvals. Summary SEC has greenlighted new generic listing standards for spot crypto ETFs. Rule change eliminates lengthy case-by-case approvals, aligning crypto ETFs with commodity funds. Grayscale’s Digital Large Cap Fund and Bitcoin ETF options also gain approval. The U.S. SEC has approved new generic listing standards that will allow exchanges to fast-track spot crypto ETFs, marking a pivotal shift in U.S. digital asset regulation. According to a Sept. 17 press release, the SEC voted to approve rule changes from Nasdaq, NYSE Arca, and Cboe BZX, enabling them to list and trade commodity-based trust shares, including those holding spot digital assets, without submitting individual proposals for each product. A streamlined path for crypto ETFs Under the new rules, an ETF can be listed without SEC sign-off if its underlying asset trades on a market with surveillance-sharing agreements, has active CFTC-regulated futures contracts for at least six months, or already represents at least 40% of an existing listed ETF. This brings crypto ETFs in line with traditional commodity-based funds under Rule 6c-11, eliminating a process that could take up to 240 days. SEC chair Paul Atkins said the move was designed to “maximize investor choice and foster innovation” while ensuring the U.S. remains the leading market for digital assets. Jamie Selway, director of the division of trading and markets, called the framework “a rational, rules-based approach” that balances access with investor protection. First products already approved Alongside the new standards, the SEC cleared the listing of the Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund, which tracks spot assets based on the CoinDesk 5 Index. It also approved trading of options tied to the Cboe Bitcoin U.S. ETF Index and its mini version, with…

The post ⁉️ Epstein, a convicted pedo, invested in Coinbase appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. The latest Epstein Files release has placed a variety of powerful