Overall consumer spending fell further in the first half of November while hiring sagged as employers looked to limit headcount, according to the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book released Wednesday afternoon.

Conflicting signals from the Federal Reserve on the timing and magnitude of U.S. interest rate cuts have accelerated hedging flows into swaptions and derivatives tied to overnight rates, with investors seeking protection against heightened policy uncertainty.

With Hassett, Trump would have a close ally whom the president knows well and trusts installed at the independent central bank, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Hassett is seen as someone who would bring the president’s approach to interest-rate cutting to the Fed,

October jobs and inflation reports are canceled and November data are delayed until after the Fed's Dec. 9-10 meeting. What this may mean for rates.

By Noel John (Reuters) -Gold prices rose more than 1% to a near two-week high on Wednesday, after benign U.S. economic data reinforced expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut next month, supporting non-yielding bullion.

Investors are betting big that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again when policymakers meet next month, erasing doubts that had tipped the odds against a move as recently as last week and setting the stage for gains in US bonds.