The Week Ahead: US rate decision, PCE inflation, Microsoft earnings - CMC Markets

It’s set to be one of the busier weeks of the fourth quarter for Australian and New Zealand markets. The FOMC’s US interest-rate decision lands on Wednesday, while mega-cap earnings season ramps up with Microsoft and Alphabet reporting that day and Amazon on Thursday. Energy majors also report later in the week, keeping oil in focus, with potential flow-on effects for gold. Local attention will centre on the RBNZ interest-rate decision and Australian CPI. The market is not pricing in a US rate hike at the October meeting and instead expects the next increase to occur in December. Still, this doesn't mean the FOMC can't raise rates at this month's meeting.