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Wall Street Pauses as Fed Meeting Looms: Futures Hold Steady

U.S. stock futures were little changed on Tuesday as investors awaited the start of the Federal Reserve’s final policy meeting of the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq futures all hovered near flat, reflecting a cautious mood across Wall Street. The Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged, but traders are focused on Chair Jerome Powell’s comments and the central bank’s updated economic projections. Markets are looking for clues on when rate cuts might begin in 2024, with inflation cooling but still above the Fed’s long-term target. Recent gains in equities have been fueled by optimism that the Fed’s tightening cycle is over, yet uncertainty remains about how quickly monetary policy will shift toward easing. Until then, investors appear content to hold their positions, waiting for clearer signals from the Fed before making bold moves.

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Dow Set to Build on Rally as Major Week for Markets Begins

 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is poised to continue its upward momentum as a significant week for the markets kicks off. U.S. stock futures rose on Monday, with Dow futures up approximately 0.4%, following a surge of over 650 points last week. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures also showed gains of 0.4% and 0.6%, respectively.

Investors are gearing up for a busy week filled with key events, including a Federal Reserve rate decision, the July nonfarm payrolls report, and earnings reports from major tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta. The market’s recent rally was bolstered by a promising inflation reading, which has strengthened bets for future interest-rate cuts.

Despite the positive outlook, the market remains cautious after a volatile period marked by a significant tech sell-off. The Federal Reserve is expected to hold off on any rate changes at its meeting on Wednesday, with many analysts predicting that any action will be delayed until September. The upcoming jobs report on Friday is anticipated to reveal potential weaknesses in the labor market, which could influence the timing and extent of future rate cuts.

As investors await these crucial updates, over 150 members of the S&P 500 are set to release their quarterly results, starting with McDonald’s on Monday. This week promises to be a pivotal one for the markets, with potential surprises that could test the resilience of the current rally.


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