CNBC Daily Open: Another Fed hike is on the horizon — but when?
Quick Look
- Federal Reserve officials signaled in meeting minutes that interest rates will rise before year-end to combat inflation, though timing remains unclear.
- Treasury's $39 billion 10-year note auction pressured yields lower from multi-decade highs, while Samsung posted a record quarterly operating profit exceeding 100 trillion won driven by AI demand, and Lululemon hired Athleta's CEO Maggie Gauger as president and chief product officer.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
U.S. inflation has remained above target for over five years, prompting Federal Reserve officials to signal further rate hikes before year-end to maintain price stability. Market participants are monitoring timing and magnitude of future policy moves.
Hello, this is Justina Lee writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to another edition of CNBC's Daily Open.
Meeting minutes released Wednesday showed that U.S. Fed officials expect interest rates to increase before year-end, but the meeting summary provided no indication of when specifically it would happen.
The U.S. Treasury selling $39 billion of 10-year notes in an auction knocked yields off their highs, while the S&P also pulled back from its record high on Wednesday.
South Korean tech giant Samsung posted a third-quarter preliminary operating profit that exceeded 100 trillion won for the first time in its history, while Lululemon poached Athleta CEO Maggie Gauger.
Traders are bracing themselves for another hike from the U.S. Federal Reserve this year, after meeting minutes released Wednesday showed that Fed officials expect to increase interest rates before the end of the year in order to fend off inflation that has run above target for more than five years.
However, the meeting summary did not show when the hike would occur – only that a stable labor market and persistently higher prices would likely lead to a second hike this year. Rates will be decided by the Fed on Oct. 28 and then again on Dec. 9.
Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury yields backed off their highs after the Treasury sold $39 billion of 10-year notes in an auction. According to BMO, the sale was "strong," with higher than average bidding from non-dealers.
The benchmark 10-year Treasury note yield reached its highest level since April 2002 at 5.365% on Wednesday. The 30-year bond yield also hit its highest level since May 2002 at 5.732%.
Meanwhile, the S&P also pulled back from its record high on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.66%, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.22%. The Nasdaq Composite was 0.22% lower.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 closed 0.92% lower. South Korea's Kospi declined nearly 2% and Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 ended flat. Mainland China market remained closed for the Golden Week holiday on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the spotlight is back on South Korea's tech sector, after Samsung Electronics posted a third-quarter preliminary operating profit of 107.40 trillion won ($80.2 billion). This is the first time in its history that the company has exceeded 100 trillion won, propelled by booming AI demand. Samsung is expected to release its full third-quarter earnings, including a breakdown by business division, later this month.
In the consumer sector, Lululemon said Wednesday that Athleta CEO Maggie Gauger is joining the company as president and chief product officer, with effect from later this month. The news comes as the athleisure space becomes increasingly competitive.
Over in the oil markets, concerns over supply disruptions slightly eased, after member states of the International Energy Agency agreed to help address rising fuel prices by prioritizing the release of diesel stocks.
—Justina Lee
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The U.S. Federal Reserve will implement an interest rate hike before the end of 2026.
Likely · Within months
Samsung Electronics will release its full third-quarter earnings later this month, including a breakdown by business division.
Certain · Within weeks
Maggie Gauger will assume the role of president and chief product officer at Lululemon later this month.
Certain · Within weeks
Open Questions
- When exactly will the Federal Reserve implement the next interest rate hike?
- What specific factors will determine the timing and size of the rate increase?
- How will sustained higher rates impact consumer spending and business investment?
- Can Samsung sustain its AI-driven profit growth amid evolving semiconductor demand?







