The Federal Reserve just delivered another 25-basis-point rate cut, lowering the federal funds rate to 3.75%–4.00% — its second consecutive cut in as many meetings. Fed Chair Jerome Powell struck a cautious tone, saying another rate cut is “not a foregone conclusion — far from it.”
Stocks reacted mixed:
Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.55% (+100 points) to 23,958.47
S&P 500 slipped 0.01% to 6,890.59
Dow Jones fell 74 points to 47,632.00
On the corporate front, Caterpillar (CAT) soared 12% on a strong earnings beat, while Boeing (BA) dropped 4% after reporting a wider Q3 loss. Verizon (VZ) reported mixed results but reaffirmed 2025 guidance.
Meanwhile, the CNN Fear & Greed Index rose to 42.3, signaling easing market fear — though sentiment remains cautious. Investors now await major tech earnings from Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), and Mastercard (MA).
With the Fed balancing inflation, jobs, and market stability, the question now is: will Powell keep cutting, or hit pause before year-end...
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