Morgan Stanley MS shares are trading lower by 1.9% to $85.46 Thursday afternoon. Shares of several banking and financial stocks are trading lower amid overall market weakness with concerns about future rate hikes following yesterday's FOMC statement and lower-than-expected initial jobless claims data.
Morgan Stanley, as a financial institution, is particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates. The company derives a significant portion of its revenue from interest rate-dependent activities, such as lending and borrowing.
When concerns about future rate hikes arise, it can lead to higher borrowing costs for the bank, which may not be matched by a corresponding increase in lending rates.
This compression of the net interest margin can weigh on Morgan Stanley's profitability.
What's Going On?
The Federal Reserve maintained the federal funds rate within the 5.25% to 5.5% range at its September meeting in a unanimous move.
The September dot plot reveals the median preference for the fed funds rate at the close of 2023 remains unwavering at 5.6%. This figure mirrors projections made back in June, hinting at the possibility of one more rate hike during either of the last two meetings this year...Read More
According to data from Benzinga Pro, Morgan Stanley has a 52-week high of $100.99 and a 52-week low of $74.67.
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