Christie’s to Host Auction in Support of Ocean Health With Works Donated by More Than 20 Leading Artists

Christie’s is partnering with U.K.-based ocean protection charity Blue Marine Foundation to raise funds through a sale of works by leading contemporary artists during an October week of major London sales.

“Blue: Art for the Ocean” will include works from more than 20 artists, including Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović, Japanese painter Yoshitomo Nara, English artist Lydia Blakeley, English potter and author Edmund de Waal, and German painter Jonas Burgert.

Christie’s announced the first three pieces to be auctioned, including a photograph of Abramović from a May 2024 filming of a separate project that shows the artist on the shores of Fire Island, N.Y.

“My Performance for the Oceans artwork for the auction blends my artistic vision with environmental consciousness,” Abramović said in a news release. The image is one of three from the film that Christie’s will sell for between £50,000 and £70,000 (US$64,012 and US$89,617), according to Blue Marine, citing the Sunday Times of London.

The other two pieces are an underwater painting by Blakeley titled The Hunters and an illustration by Nara titled Walk On .

The foundation works toward ocean health by putting a spotlight on overfishing and efforts to protect critical marine ecosystems around the world.

Christie’s expects to announce a full lineup of lots and price estimates in the coming weeks, according to a company spokesperson. The auction will be held during Christie’s annual Frieze Week sales of 20th- and 21st-century art.

Tuesday’s retail sales report could be the scrap of evidence that tips the balance as Federal Reserve officials decide how much to cut interest rates on Wednesday.

It is practically a given that the central bank will reduce rates. Inflation has fallen to its lowest point since February 2021, giving the Fed more flexibility to focus on the second component of its dual mandate—achieving maximum employment. Although the labor market remains resilient, the most recent two jobs reports have been weaker than expected, putting some pressure on the Fed to loosen monetary policy.

The question now is by how much rates will fall—0.5 percentage point, or 0.25 point? The indications from interest-rate futures are split , recently favoring the more aggressive half-percentage-point decrease.

Andrew Hollenhorst, an economist at Citi , leans toward the likelihood the Fed is more cautious on Wednesday, cutting rates by 0.25 percentage points. But he notes that it it is a close call that depends on the dynamics of the bank’s rate-setting committee and the strength or weakness of Tuesday’s retail sales report.

A positive surprise would suggest that both consumers and the labor market remain resilient, paving the way for a more modest cut. If the report comes in well below expectations, however, Fed officials may grow concerned that a weaker labor market is weighing on consumer spending, which could lead to a bigger cut, Hollenhorst added.

Louis Navellier, founder and chief investment officer of the money-management firm Navellier agrees. “In theory, if the August retail sales report is horrible, then a 0.5% Fed key interest rate cut may be forthcoming on Wednesday,” he said.

Economists are expecting retail sales will decline by 0.2% in August from July, according to FactSet. They jumped by a surprising 1% in July .

Lower gasoline prices and car sales will likely drag the headline number lower. Indeed, stripping out car and gas sales, retail sales are projected to increase by about 0.3% month over month.

Yet there is growing concern that even excluding autos and gas sales, the sales figure will be soft. While spending was remarkably strong in July, the Fed’s latest Beige Book flagged that consumer spending ticked down in August, points out Bill Adams, chief economist for Comerica Bank . Many retailers, particularly those catering to lower-income shoppers, have warned that Americans are being cautious and exceedingly choosy about what they are buying and where.

The impact of the retail sales report will likely extend beyond the immediate rate cut. The insights it contains about U.S. consumers will also factor into the Fed’s quarterly update to its Summary of Economic Projections, containing officials’ latest forecasts for the U.S. economy, inflation, and near-term interest rates.

The so-called dot plot , which charts the individual interest-rate projections of the seven members of the Fed’s board of governors and the 12 regional Fed presidents, is always closely watched as investors try to chart the Fed’s future actions.

Hollenhorst believes the median dot showing where rates will be at the end of 2024 should show “at least” 0.75 percentage-point of cuts, factoring in 0.25 point at each meeting through the end of the year. But it is likely that officials will leave the door open for more cuts in case data on the job market or consumer spending sour faster than expected.