US House approves new sanctions to squeeze Russia

17. Sep 2026

(AWP Alliance News) - European equities are called up on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve voted unanimously to raise interest rates.

Here is what you need to know before the European market open on Thursday:

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MARKETS

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CAC 40: called up 39.0 points, 0.5%, at 8,179.59

DAX 40: called up 146.2 points, 0.6%, at 25,683.95

FTSE 100: called up 26.0 points, 0.2%, at 10,714.47

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Hang Seng: down 0.7% at 24,536.35

Nikkei 225: up 0.6% at 64,328.93

S&P/ASX 200: up 0.4% at 8,726.80

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DJIA: closed down 631.21 points, 1.2%, at 51,461.90

S&P 500: closed down 33.92 points, 0.5%, at 7,551.81

Nasdaq Composite: closed down 3.15 points at 25,978.42

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US 10-year Treasury yield: 5.10% (4.97%)

US 30-year Treasury yield: 5.35% (5.34%)

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EUR: lower at USD1.1459 (USD1.1537)

GBP: lower at USD1.1.3371 (USD1.3449)

USD: higher at JPY156.12 (JPY155.09)

gold: lower at USD4,294.7 per ounce (USD4,345.07)

oil (Brent): higher at USD105.73 a barrel (USD104.54)

(changes since previous London equities close)

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ECONOMIC CALENDAR

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08:30 EDT Canada PPI

10:00 SAST South Africa consumer confidence

14:30 SAST South Africa building permits

08:00 CEST Switzerland trade balance

09:00 CEST Switzerland SECO economic forecasts

12:00 BST UK interest rate decision

08:30 EDT US Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index

08:30 EDT US building permits

08:30 EDT US initial jobless claims

10:30 EDT US EIA natural gas stocks

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TOP ECONOMIC NEWS

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The US Federal Reserve on increased interest rates for the first time in just over three years as it battles to bring "elevated" inflation back to its 2% target. The US central bank voted to 12-0 to raise rates by 25 basis points taking the target range for the federal funds rate to 3.75%-4.00%. The decision was in line with FXStreet consensus. It last increased rates back in July 2023. In a brief statement, the FOMC said the decision was in support of its dual mandate. "Inflation remains elevated. Today's policy action will support a timelier return to the Committee's 2% goal. The Committee will deliver price stability," it added. The accompanying summary of economic projections showed Fed officials expect one further rate increase this year, but no more in 2027. Cuts are forecast to resume in 2028.

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Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said inflation has been "too high and has been for too long" as he reiterated his aim to achieve price stability. "Inflation is the problem and has been for the last five and a half years," he told reporters after the US central bank raised interest rates for the first time in just over three years. "We must be confident that underlying inflation is moving to our objective clearly and at sufficient speed," he said. "Today, the FOMC decided that this standard has not been satisfied." Warsh said the decision to raise rates comes at a time when the US economy is strengthening. He said he and FOMC members are "hard-pressed to describe conditions as restrictive". Today, "we removed a dose of accommodation," he added.

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US lawmakers approved broad new sanctions designed to squeeze Russia over its war in Ukraine, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump after months of delay. The Republican-led House of Representatives passed the package by 262-159, giving a final congressional green light to the most substantial US legislative effort against Moscow since Trump returned to office. Trump has said he will sign the measure, which sailed through the Senate in an 86-11 vote last month. The legislation targets Russia's energy and defence sectors, President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, as well as Moscow's so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions. It also gives Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas - including potentially China and India - in an effort to choke off revenue financing Moscow's war.

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Trump threatened to cut trade with the EU after the bloc proposed to make Canada its first ever associate member. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen raised the prospect a day before Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was due to address the European Parliament. Her pitch comes as both Canada and the EU seek to pivot away from an aggressive US under Trump's leadership. "I think it's laughable," Trump told reporters when asked about the plan. "If they do that, if I think it's at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe, on many things." He added: "If it's a good intention, that's fine. If it's a bad intention, we'll put very heavy tariffs on Europe, which is a possibility." Von der Leyen pitched closer cooperation on technology, defence and energy to Carney, who became the first non-European head of government to attend the annual "State of the EU" speech.

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COMPANY CALENDAR

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Auto Trader Group PLC - AGM

Foresight Environmental Infrastructure Ltd - AGM

Next PLC - half year results

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TOP COMPANY NEWS

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US artificial intelligence giant OpenAI promised to more systemically report instances of its models going off track, while also publishing six new reports on previously undisclosed incidents of AI misbehaviour. The transparency pledge follows a series of incidents at the company that have gradually come to light since July. The most serious involved two OpenAI models that, during testing, spontaneously broke out of their contained environment to access the internet and break into several websites and platforms. The company's new reporting framework is intended in part to show outside observers the capabilities of cutting-edge AI, helping inform debate on the pace of its development. On Saturday, Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei proposed a coordinated slowdown of the pace of AI advances to allow time to understand the new risks they pose. OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman, Google DeepMind President Demis Hassabis, SpaceXAI chief Elon Musk and Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella all backed the call.

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Uber Technologies said it has expanded the number of Costco Wholesale locations now available on the Uber Eats food ordering and delivery platform in the US. Uber is a San Francisco, California-based ride-hailing and courier service provider, while Costco is a big box retailer based in Issaquah, Washington. The expanded partnership means millions of more customers will be able to order from Costco on Uber Eats. Uber Eats now serves almost 600 Costco stores across 47 states, up from 17 previously.

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Panasonic said it will open a new lithium-ion battery research and development facility in Kadoma, Osaka. The Kadoma, Japan-based electronics company said the facility, Energy Innovation Square, will be the global hub of its battery development and production. Capabilities of the site will include material development, cell design and prototyping. It said the site is intended accelerate the mass production next-generation batteries for automotive and data centre applications. It will work in collaboration with the Suminoe production development facility in Osaka. Panasonic said it expects around 500 people to be employed at the facility. Batteries developed at the facility will be manufactured across Panasonic's global footprint, including in Japan and Nevada and Kansas in the US. Kazuo Tadanobu, chief executive of Panasonic Energy, said: "Energy Innovation Square will serve as a core hub for Panasonic Energy's battery development, strengthening collaboration from next-generation product development through mass production and enhancing our global competitiveness.

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Arena REIT said Independent Non-Executive Director and Chair David Ross will retire from the board after the company's next annual general meeting and announced that Independent Non-Executive Director Adam Tindall has been appointed chair elect. The Melbourne, Australia-headquartered firm is an internally managed real estate investment trust that develops, owns and manages social infrastructure properties such as childcare and healthcare. Ross will step down once the AGM scheduled for November 20 is finished after serving as chair since June 2013. Tindall has been in his current position at Arena REIT since November 2024, but brings more than 35 years of experience across real estate and investment management.

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Transurban said average daily traffic improved across all regions in August, with double digit-growth recorded in North America. Group average daily traffic increased 3.4% year-on-year in August, the Melbourne, Australia-based toll road operator revealed. North America traffic increased 12%, Melbourne traffic grew 3.5%, Sydney traffic rose 3.3% and Brisbane traffic was 1.0% higher.

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Bilfinger said it now expects 2026 revenue between EUR5.3 billion and EUR5.7 billion, down from EUR5.4 billion to EUR5.9 billion previously. This is due to second half trading "falling significantly short of the original assumptions, partly due to the continuing geopolitical uncertainties." In response, the Mannheim, Germany-based civil and industrial construction, engineering and services provider, announced the "Agile" program to increase "flexibility and enable it to respond more quickly to changing market conditions." It said it forecasts one-off costs of EUR75 million associated with the program and an annual contribution of EUR75 million starting in financial year 2028, once "Agile" is fully implemented. The firm said its 2030 targets are unchanged. Bilfinger said it expects 2026 free cash flow between EUR180 million and EUR220 million, down from EUR250 million to EUR300 million before.

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Nike appointed Moet Hennessy Deputy Chief Executive Officer Alexandre Arnault to its board, increasing it to 12 directors. Moet Hennessy is the wines and spirits division of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Arnault previously served as executive vice president of Products and Communications at Tiffany & Co and CEO of Rimowa. Arnault's appointment to the Beaverton, Oregon-based athletic apparel retailer is effective immediately, for an initial term expiring at Nike's 2027 annual shareholder meeting.

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By Harvey Dorset, Alliance News reporter

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