Central banks will meet this week to decide whether to raise interest rates, with the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan under scrutiny as US Treasuries continue to falter. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s attempts to stabilize the American bond market have so far failed to break the “fever” in yields, leaving investors focused on the upcoming policy moves. Meanwhile, geopolitical tension spiked when Russia struck a Ukrainian train line moments after foreign dignitaries had transited it, underscoring broader market uncertainty.

In the US, protesters in Virginia forced the cancellation of a data‑centre project in the region known as Data Centre Alley, highlighting local opposition to rapid infrastructure expansion. The FT’s Zehra Munir details how community activism halted the development, while the podcast also notes a brewing clash between former Fed official Warsh and Trump over rate expectations. Produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, Katya Kumkova, and Josh Gabert‑Doyon, the briefing mixes market analysis with on‑the‑ground reporting.