US markets end higher as Fed signals strong economy

20 Feb 2020 Evaluate

The US markets ended higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq finishing at all-time highs, as investors were encouraged by comments from the Federal Reserve and measures China says it has taken to help coronavirus-stricken businesses. Minutes from the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee’s January meeting showed that Fed officials believe the US economy appeared stronger in late January than they had been expecting. However, Fed members at the meeting, where they kept rates at a 1.50%-1.75% range, expressed concerns about the threat of the coronavirus outbreak in China, and of tensions in the Middle East, which may suggest that the central bank may be more inclined to ease rates than to raise them in the near-term. Policy makers emphasized their intention to provide some stability for markets and the economy for a time after cutting rates three times in succession last year. The minutes said, specifically, they discussed maintaining the current policy stance for a time could be helpful in supporting US economic activity in the face of global developments that have been weighing on spending decisions.

On the economic data front, a report released by the Commerce Department showed a pullback in new residential construction in the US in the month of January. The Commerce Department said housing starts slumped by 3.6 percent to an annual rate of 1.567 million in January after soaring by 17.7 percent to a revised rate of 1.626 million in December. Street had expected housing starts to tumble by 11.4 percent to a rate of 1.425 million from the 1.608 million originally reported for the previous month. Meanwhile, producer prices in the US increased by much more than anticipated in the month of January, according to a report released by the Labor Department. The Labor Department said it producer price index for final demand climbed by 0.5 percent in January after rising by 0.2 percent in December. Street had expected producer prices to inch up by 0.1 percent. The bigger than expected increase in producer prices came even though energy prices slid by 0.7 percent in January after jumping by 1.5 percent in December.

Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 115.84 or 0.4 percent points to 29,348.03, Nasdaq gained 84.44 points or 0.87 percent to 9,817.18 and S&P 500 was up by 15.86 points or 0.47 percent to 3,386.15. 


© 2026 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×