Nasdaq 100 Extends Record Levels Ahead Of Fed Meeting, Tesla Hits 26-Month Highs, Small Caps Stall: What’s Driving Markets Thursday?
After Wednesday’s “everything rally” spurred by the election results, investors took a less euphoric approach on Thursday ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.
The Fed is widely expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points, bringing them to a range of 4.5%-4.75%, following a previous 50-basis-point cut in September.
Yet, all eyes are on Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s comments at 2:30 p.m. ET regarding the potential for future rate hikes and his views on inflation risks. Concerns from the market center on the possibility of a policy U-turn driven by higher fiscal deficits and price pressures from trade tariffs under a Trump administration.
Tech stocks led gains, with the Nasdaq 100 extending its record-breaking levels, surpassing 21,000 points and eyeing a third consecutive positive session. …