Federal Reserve Archives - Page 2 of 2

Stock market today: Wall Street sinks after Fed signals fewer rate cuts next year. Dow drops 1,100

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks sank to their second-worst loss of the year after the Federal Reserve signaled that it may deliver fewer interest rates cuts in 2025 than earlier thought. The S&P 500 dropped 2.9% Wednesday to pull further from its all-time high set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank more than 1,100 points, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 3.6%. Fed officials released projections showing they’re penciling in just two cuts to interest rates next year, instead of the four they were projecting a few months ago. Treasury yields ramped higher to add pressure on the stock market.… Continue Reading

Federal Reserve cuts its key rate by a quarter-point but envisions fewer reductions next year

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point — its third cut this year — but also signaled that it expects to reduce rates more slowly next year than it previously envisioned, largely because of still-elevated inflation. The Fed’s 19 policymakers projected that they will cut their benchmark rate by a quarter-point just twice in 2025, down from their previous estimate in September of four rate cuts. Their new quarterly projections suggest that consumers may not enjoy much lower rates next year for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and other forms of borrowing.… Continue Reading

Stock market today: Wall Street gets back to climbing, and the Nasdaq tops 20,000

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street got back to climbing after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 gained 0.8% Wednesday to break a two-day losing streak and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged with a dip of 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that the Fed will deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week.… Continue Reading

Stock market today: Nvidia drags Wall Street lower as oil and gold rise

NEW YORK (AP) — A slide for market superstar Nvidia helped pull U.S. stock indexes down from their records. The S&P 500 fell 0.6% Monday, coming off its 57th all-time high of the year so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.6% from its own record. Nvidia was the market’s heaviest weight after China said it’s probing the chip giant for potential antitrust violations. Stocks in Hong Kong jumped after top Chinese leaders agreed on a “moderately loose” monetary policy. Prices for oil and gold rose following the ouster of Syrian leader Bashar Assad.… Continue Reading

Stock market today: Most of Wall Street rises after the Fed cuts interest rates

NEW YORK (AP) — Most U.S. stocks rose as the Federal Reserve cut interest rates again to make things easier for the economy. The S&P 500 climbed 0.7% Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was virtually unchanged, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1.5%. The rate cut was widely expected. What’s less certain going forward is how much Donald Trump’s presidential victory may change things for the Fed. Chair Jerome Powell said it’s too early to know what it will mean for the Fed’s policies. Treasury yields remained lower following the Fed’s announcement. Bank stocks and smaller companies also lagged the market as other Trump trades lost momentum.… Continue Reading

Stock market today: Wall Street edges back from its records

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their record highs. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% Thursday, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1% after likewise setting an all-time high the day before. The Nasdaq composite edged down by 0.1%. In the bond market, Treasury yields swung after a pair of disappointing reports showed inflation failed to improve as much as expected last month and more workers filed for unemployment benefits last week. They left investors questioning how much the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by at its next meeting. Crude oil prices rose to regain their losses from early in the week.… Continue Reading

US economy grew at a solid 3% rate last quarter, government says in final estimate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American economy expanded at a healthy 3% annual pace from April through June, boosted by strong consumer spending and business investment, the government said, leaving its previous estimate unchanged. The nation’s gross domestic product — the nation’s total output of goods and services — picked up sharply in the second quarter from the tepid 1.6% annual rate in the first three months of the year. Consumer spending, the primary driver of the economy, grew last quarter at a 2.8% pace, down slightly from the 2.9% rate the government had previously estimated. The final GDP estimate for the April-June quarter included figures showing that inflation continues to ease, to just above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.… Continue Reading

Federal Reserve signals end to inflation fight with a sizable half-point rate cut

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large half-point, a dramatic shift after more than two years of high rates helped tame inflation but that also made borrowing painfully expensive for consumers. The rate cut, the Fed’s first in more than four years, reflects its new focus on bolstering the job market. Coming just weeks before the presidential election, the Fed’s move also has the potential to scramble the economic landscape just as Americans prepare to vote. The policymakers also signaled that they expect to cut their key rate by an additional half-point in their final two meetings this year, in November and December. They envision four more rate cuts in 2025 and two in 2026.… Continue Reading

Stock market today: Dow sets a record as Wall Street gears up for a cut to interest rates

NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow Jones Industrial Average set a record, as Wall Street geared up for the most anticipated meeting of the Federal Reserve in years. The Dow rose 228 points, or 0.6%, on Monday to surpass its prior all-time high set a few weeks ago. The S&P 500 index, which is much more comprehensive and widely followed on Wall Street, ticked up by 0.1% to climb within 0.6% of its own record set in July. The Nasdaq composite slipped 0.5% as Apple and Nvidia gave back some of their big gains. Treasury yields eased ahead of Wednesday’s expected cut to interest rates by the Fed.… Continue Reading