{"id":53162,"date":"2025-09-15T19:08:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T23:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/microsoft-boosts-dividend-fed-nominee-advances-new-zealand-food-inflation-moderates\/53162\/"},"modified":"2025-09-15T19:08:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T23:08:17","slug":"microsoft-boosts-dividend-fed-nominee-advances-new-zealand-food-inflation-moderates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/microsoft-boosts-dividend-fed-nominee-advances-new-zealand-food-inflation-moderates\/53162\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft Boosts Dividend, Fed Nominee Advances, New Zealand Food Inflation Moderates"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>)<\/strong> increased its quarterly dividend by <strong>9.6%<\/strong> to <strong>$0.91 per share<\/strong>, signaling continued confidence in its financial performance and shareholder returns.<\/li>\n<li>President Trump&#39;s Federal Reserve Board nominee, <strong>Stephen Miran<\/strong>, cleared a critical <strong>Senate Banking Committee procedural hurdle<\/strong> and is expected to face a full Senate confirmation vote soon, potentially influencing upcoming monetary policy decisions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>New Zealand<\/strong> saw a moderation in <em>monthly<\/em> food price increases, with August figures showing a <strong>0.3% rise month-over-month<\/strong>, down from <strong>0.7%<\/strong> in July, offering a slight reprieve from persistent inflation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Technology giant <strong>Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>)<\/strong> announced a significant increase in its quarterly dividend, raising it by <strong>9.6%<\/strong> to <strong>$0.91 per share<\/strong> from the previous <strong>$0.83<\/strong>. This move continues the company&#39;s established pattern of increasing its payout to shareholders each September, reflecting robust financial health and a commitment to returning capital. The consistent dividend growth, often in the 10-11% range, underscores Microsoft&#39;s strong operational performance.<\/p>\n<p>In Washington, <strong>Stephen Miran<\/strong>, President Trump&#39;s nominee for the Federal Reserve Board, successfully cleared a crucial <strong>Senate Banking Committee procedural hurdle<\/strong>. The committee voted along party lines, <strong>13-11<\/strong>, to advance his nomination to the full Senate, where confirmation is widely anticipated. Miran, who currently chairs the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), would fill a short-term vacancy on the Fed&#39;s board, expiring in January 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Concerns have been voiced regarding the potential impact on the Federal Reserve&#39;s independence, particularly after Miran initially indicated he would take a leave of absence from his White House role rather than resign if confirmed for the short term. However, he later clarified he would resign for a longer term. His potential confirmation could enable him to participate in the upcoming <strong>Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)<\/strong> meeting, where the central bank is widely expected to implement its first interest rate cut since December.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, <strong>New Zealand<\/strong> experienced a slowdown in the <em>monthly<\/em> pace of food price increases in August. Food prices rose <strong>0.3% month-over-month<\/strong>, a decrease from the <strong>0.7%<\/strong> increase recorded in July. [User headline] While this suggests some easing in immediate price pressures, annual food inflation remains a significant factor for households. In July 2025, annual food inflation stood at <strong>5%<\/strong>, up from <strong>4.6%<\/strong> in June, largely driven by substantial increases in grocery food, particularly dairy products, and meat, poultry, and fish categories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Microsoft (MSFT) increased its quarterly dividend by 9.6% to $0.91 per share, signaling continued confidence in its financial 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