Global rate cut standoff looms in policy finale

Strong stand: Lagarde speaks at an economic dialogue in Berlin, Germany. The ECB president will present new forecasts, accompanied by a collective view on the risks to growth and inflation, that will likely be a central component of the bank’s message. — Bloomberg

NEW YORK: From Washington to Frankfurt to London and beyond, central bankers are approaching their final decisions of the year against a backdrop of unease at how the global inflation cycle is turning.

Policymakers from fully half of the Group of 10 jurisdictions of most-traded currencies are scheduled to meet in the coming days, and interest rates for 60% of the world economy will be set in a whirlwind 60-hour window.