The Federal Reserve's decision to reduce its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points — the first reduction since 2020 — has triggered the most significant global capital realignment in four years, with reverberations felt from Wall Street to emerging market economies across three continents.
Within hours of the announcement, global equity markets added an estimated $3.2 trillion in combined market capitalisation. The MSCI All Country World Index surged 2.8%, its largest single-day gain since November 2022. Meanwhile, the US dollar weakened sharply against a basket of currencies, providing immediate relief to debt-laden emerging market economies.
Winners and Losers
The immediate beneficiaries are clear: emerging market economies that have been struggling under the weight of dollar-denominated debt. Countries including Brazil, India, Indonesia, and South Africa saw their currencies strengthen by 1.5-3% against the dollar within the trading session, reducing the real burden of debt repayment.