Wednesday witnessed mixed performance in US stocks as investors processed the prospect of an earlier-than-expected interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Updated data also revealed a faster-than-previously-reported growth in the US economy during the third quarter.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) emerged as the primary gainer, narrowly finishing just above the neutral mark. In contrast, both the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) experienced a marginal decline of approximately 0.1%.
The potential for a shift in policy gained traction following statements from Fed Governor Christopher Waller, who suggested that there was “no reason” to insist on maintaining “really high” rates if inflation consistently eases. While Fed Governor Michelle Bowman held a different stance, echoing Waller’s dovish sentiments were other officials, including Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, expressing concerns about keeping rates “too high for too long.”
Explore further: Understanding the Implications of the Fed’s Rate-Hike Pause on Bank Accounts, CDs, Loans, and Credit Cards
Prominent investor Bill Ackman is now among those speculating that the Fed might commence rate cuts sooner than initially anticipated, proposing that this move could materialize as early as the first quarter.
Bonds experienced increased gains fueled by these dovish remarks, leading to a 6-basis-point drop in the 10-year Treasury yield (^TNX), reaching around 4.27%—its lowest level since September.
The latest report on US third-quarter GDP disclosed a robust growth rate of 5.2% on an annualized basis, marking an upward revision from the previously reported 4.9% pace.
