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just now (765+ words) The stock market rose to the edge of its record Wednesday after the Federal Reserve cut its main interest rate to bolster the job market, and hopes strengthened for more cuts to come in 2026. The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 0.7% and finished just shy of its all-time high, which was set in October. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 497 points, or 1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. Wall Street loves lower interest rates because they can boost the economy and send prices for investments higher, even if they potentially make inflation worse. Wednesday's cut to interest rates was widely expected and did not move markets much by itself. But some investors found encouragement from comments by Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell, which they said were less forceful about shutting down the possibility of future cuts than they had been anticipating. Powell said again…...

4+ min ago (647+ words) WASHINGTON " The Federal Reserve reduced its key interest rate for the third time in a row Wednesday but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months, a move that could attract ire from President Donald Trump, who has demanded steep reductions to borrowing costs. In a statement released after a two-day meeting, the Fed's rate-setting committee signaled that it may keep its rate unchanged in the coming months. And in a set of quarterly economic projections, Fed officials signaled they expect to lower rates just once next year. Wednesday's cut reduced the rate by a quarter-point to about 3.6%, the lowest it has been in nearly three years. Lower rates from the Fed can bring down borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards over time, though market forces can also affect those rates. The moved pushed…...

27+ min ago (1047+ words) The basic questions for market participants and policymakers remain the same after a widely expected Fed rate cut. After a third-quarter-point reduction since September, the target range for the federal funds rate is now 3.50% to 3.75%. According to Louis Navellier of Navellier & Associates, the latest move by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) "will determine how the year will close out." Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues The Fed's updated Summary of Economic Projections (pdf) " including its dot plot " reflects both concerns about the jobs market and persistent inflation as well as rosier growth expectations. The median forecast shows 2.3% GDP growth in 2026, up from 1.8% in September, core inflation of 2.5%, down from 2.6%, and unemployment steady at 4.4%. Altogether, it adds up to only one rate cut in 2026. Fed funds futures pricing shows a 75.6% probability…...

33+ min ago (679+ words) The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point Wednesday for the third time since September, bringing its key rate to about 3.6%, the lowest in nearly three years. Before September, it had gone nine months without a cut. The benchmark rate is the rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another, and the Fed has two goals when it sets the rate: one, to manage prices for goods and services, and two, to encourage full employment. The benchmark rate also affects the interest rates consumers pay to borrow money via credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, and other financial products. For savers, falling interest rates will continue to erode attractive yields currently on offer with certificates of deposit (CDs) and high-yield savings accounts. Three of the big five banks (Ally, American Express, and Synchrony) cut their…...

33+ min ago (161+ words) Powell's press conference ended with the market still pricing in more interest-rate cuts in 2026 than the median projection among Fed officials. Markets are pricing in two cuts of a quarter of a percentage point over the next 12 months, Bloomberg data show, while the median call in the summary of p Powell's press conference ended with the market still pricing in more interest-rate cuts in 2026 than the median projection among Fed officials. Markets are pricing in two cuts of a quarter of a percentage point over the next 12 months, Bloomberg data show, while the median call in the summary of policymakers' economic projections pointed to only one. To some degree, investors and the Fed are in agreement that rates are headed lower. Powell clearly said that he doesn't believe the Fed raising rates as its next policy adjustment is "anybody's base…...

36+ min ago (447+ words) Rarely does China's stated national priority align so well with what the world wants of the People's Republic. Yet, Beijing is not really letting it happen'to the world's dismay and its own people's loss. This needs to change, starting with China letting its yuan appreciate a whole lot more than the 3% it has risen against the dollar since the start of 2025. Clearly, Trump's shake-up of global trade has not deprived the country of its status as the world's factory. Other countries, however, have grown anxious as they watch their domestic industries lose market share both at home and abroad to cheap Chinese goods. That may not have mattered much if China's export thrust were limited to sectors like electric vehicles, solar power modules and battery storage, where its comparative advantage could help decarbonize other economies. But China seems bent on…...

41+ min ago (552+ words) The S&P 500 rose 0.8% and was on track to squeak past its all-time closing high, which was set in October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 559 points, or 1.2%, with roughly an hour remaining in trading, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.4% higher. Wall Street loves lower interest rates because they can boost the economy and goose prices for investments, even if they have the potential of making inflation worse. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said again on Wednesday that the central bank is in a difficult position, because the job market is facing downward pressure when inflation is facing upward pressure at the same time. That creates a dilemma for the Fed, which usually makes one of those problems worse in the short term when it tries to fix the other. At the moment, though, Powell said for the first time…...

45+ min ago (99+ words) Dec. 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM ET The Fed lowered interest rates by another quarter of a percentage point at the conclusion of its December meeting. But it is what officials projected for 2026 that might matter more. 2026 cuts: The FOMC is still penciling in just one quarter-point reduction next year. Three officials see higher rates in 2026. Disagreement: It was the first time since 2019 that three committee members dissented against a rate-cut decision. Trump: The president said the Fed could've cut by double the amount today. Market reaction: Stocks rose, bond yields fell....

46+ min ago (528+ words) On expected lines, the central bank was divided in its decision, as nine out of the 12 members voted in favour of the rate cut, while one member felt the need for a 50 basis point rate cut. Meanwhile, as Reuters reported, only four policymakers actually projected a single rate cut next year, with another four expecting two cuts and four others anticipating even more. However, the Fed's future policy path will rely on the incoming data as the central bank underscored the conflicting signs of slowing growth and elevated inflation visible in the US economy. "Job gains have slowed this year, and the unemployment rate has edged up through September. More recent indicators are consistent with these developments. Inflation has moved up since earlier in the year and remains somewhat elevated," said the FOMC. According to Jeffrey Roach, Chief Economist for…...

56+ min ago (566+ words) The US Dollar (USD) sold off sharply on Wednesday, as investors continued to digest the largely anticipated rate cut by the Federal Reserve, while the updated "dots plot" surprised no one. The US Dollar Index (DXY) reversed two daily gains in a row and collapsed to multi-week lows in the 98.60-98.50 band amid declining yields following the FOMC event on Wednesday. The Balance of Trade results are due, seconded by the usual weekly Initial Jobless Claims and Wholesale Inventories. EUR/USD regained strong traction and left behind four consecutive daily pullbacks, revisiting once again the vicinity of the 1.1700 hurdle. Next on tap on the domestic calendar will be Germany's final Inflation Rate on December 12. GBP/USD rose sharply and challenged monthly peaks in the area just shy of the 1.3400 barrier. The RICS House Price Balance is due, seconded by the speech…...