Matt Hardy – Page 3 – Equity Markets

The United States Capitol Building in Washington DC, representing the Federal Reserve's first rate hike since 2023

The Fed Just Raised Rates for the First Time Since 2023 — Defying the President Who Picked the Chair

The Fed raised rates 12-0 for the first time since 2023, with Chair Kevin Warsh defying the president who nominated him. Here's the full story behind the decision, the political tension surrounding it, and what the updated projections signal for the rest of the year.

Matt Hardy October 14, 2026

Detailed close-up of a microchip on an electronic circuit board, representing tech sector capital allocation between buybacks and AI investment

Stock Buybacks

Meta Paused Its Buybacks for AI — But the Rest of Big Tech Is Accelerating Theirs

Meta reported zero share buybacks in Q1 2026 as it poured capital into AI — even as the broader tech sector's buyback pace accelerates in a pattern JPMorgan calls "puzzling." Here's the full divergence playing out across Big Tech's capital allocation.

Matt Hardy October 14, 2026

A stock trader celebrating while monitoring multiple screens with financial charts, representing this week's volatile market action

Weekly Market

This Week in Markets: Oil, Yields, and the Fed Collide Ahead of Wednesday’s Decision

Oil, Treasury yields, and Fed expectations collided this week, with the Dow posting its worst weekly loss since March and the 10-year yield hitting its highest level since 2007. Here's the full week-by-week breakdown heading into the Fed's decision.

Matt Hardy October 13, 2026

Contemporary skyscrapers in the New York financial district, representing labor market and housing data releases

Economic Data

Jobless Claims Hold Near Multi-Decade Lows as Housing Starts Rebound

Jobless claims held near a 60-year low while housing starts were set to rebound from a weak July, offering a genuinely mixed but resilient economic data picture heading into the Fed's decision. Here's the full breakdown.

Matt Hardy October 13, 2026

Close-up of a digital screen showing financial trading graphs, representing the August CPI inflation report

Inflation & Interest

August CPI Rises to 3.4% as Gas Prices Surge, Cementing Fed Rate Hike Bets

August CPI rose to 3.4% annually as gas prices surged, pushing Fed rate hike odds toward 70% ahead of next week's meeting. Here's the full breakdown of what drove the increase and why the core rate tells a more mixed story.

Matt Hardy October 12, 2026

Detailed close-up of a microchip on an electronic circuit board, representing Nvidia's massive stock buyback and dividend program

Stock Buybacks

Nvidia’s Buyback Authorization Hits $99 Billion: Inside the 25-Fold Dividend Hike

Nvidia's buyback authorization has grown to $99.3 billion after an $80 billion addition and a 25-fold dividend hike. Here's the full data from Nvidia's own filings on what's driving the shift and what management says it signals.

Matt Hardy October 12, 2026

Close-up of a digital screen displaying stock trading graphs, representing the week ahead of key economic data releases

Weekly Market

Week Ahead: CPI, PPI, and the Fed Decision That Could Move Every Market

This week's PPI and CPI data could decide the Fed's September rate hike, with oil near $100 and yields at multi-year highs adding pressure. Here's the full data calendar and what to watch.

Matt Hardy October 11, 2026

Contemporary skyscrapers in the New York financial district, representing markets awaiting this week's PPI and CPI inflation data

Economic Data

PPI Today, CPI Tomorrow: The Last Inflation Data Before the Fed’s Big Decision

PPI lands today and CPI tomorrow — the last inflation data before the Fed's September 16 decision, with markets pricing a genuine coin-flip on a rate hike. Here's what's at stake and how markets are positioning ahead of the numbers.

Matt Hardy October 11, 2026

Hand holding smartphone displaying a digital wallet app interface, representing tech company capital return through buybacks

Stock Buybacks

A $100 Billion Buyback: Capital Return vs. AI Capex in Big Tech’s Biggest Debate

A $100 billion buyback authorization highlights a real strategic split in Big Tech: return cash to shareholders, or plow it into AI infrastructure like rivals are doing. Here's the full financial picture behind the decision.

Matt Hardy October 10, 2026

Industrial oil pumpjack extracting crude oil under a clear sky, representing surging oil prices driving market volatility

Weekly Market

This Week in Markets: Stocks Slide as Oil Surges Toward $100, All Eyes on CPI and the Fed

Stocks slid this week as oil neared $100 a barrel, US-Canada trade tensions escalated, and a hot jobs report raised Fed rate-hike odds ahead of critical CPI and PPI data. Here's the full week in review.

Matt Hardy October 10, 2026