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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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US stock futures seesaw as inflation jumps more than expected


US stock futures were volatile on Thursday morning after the release of the December inflation report. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.3% month over month and 3.4% year over year, slightly higher than economists’ expectations. On a “core” basis, inflation rose 3.9% over the past year. The print raised new questions about the Federal Reserve’s path on interest rates, as traders have been increasingly pricing in the odds of a “soft landing” scenario. S&P 500 futures were down about 0.1% after the benchmark ended Wednesday at its highest close since January 2022, just short of notching a new record. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average wavered around the flatline, while those on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 also fell around 0.1%.


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