US markets settle lower on Friday

20 Aug 2022 Evaluate

The US markets settled lower on Friday as traders looked to cash in on recent strength in the markets, which lifted the major averages well off their June lows to their best levels in almost four months. Traders may have been moving money out of stocks amid caution ahead of next week's economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Remarks by Federal Reserve officials at the annual symposium are likely to be in focus, as traders look for additional clues about the pace of future interest rate hikes. Recent comments from some Fed officials have indicated the central bank will continue to raise interest rates aggressively at its next meeting in September.

St. Louis Fed president James Bullard said recently that he expects a third straight 75 basis point interest rate hike in September, while San Francisco Fed colleague Mary Daly said that raising rates by 50 or 75 basis points next month would be ‘reasonable’. Kansas City Fed president Esther George argued that the drop in inflation registered in July was not evidence the underlying problem was fixed. The sell-off on Wall Street may have been exaggerated by low volume as traders stuck to the sidelines ahead of the Jackson Hole symposium as well as next week's reports on durable goods orders, new home sales, and personal income and spending. The personal income and spending report due next Friday is likely to attract particular attention, as it includes a reading on inflation said to be preferred by the Fed.

Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 292.30 points or 0.86 percent to 33,706.74, Nasdaq fell 260.13 points or 2.01 percent to 12,705.22 and S&P 500 was down by 55.26 points or 1.29 percent to 4,228.48.

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