US markets end higher after Fed meeting minutes

05 Jan 2023 Evaluate

The US markets ended extremely volatile session higher on Wednesday as investors looked past Federal Reserve meeting minutes that showed the central bank will remain aggressive in its policy to tame high inflation. The Federal Reserve released the minutes of its December monetary policy meeting, reinforcing expectations the central bank is likely to continuing raising interest rates. The minutes reiterated that officials continue to anticipate that ongoing rate increases would be appropriate to achieve the Fed's dual objectives of maximum employment and price stability. The Fed noted that the pace of future rate hikes would take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments. At the meeting, the Fed decided to raise interest rates by 50 basis points, which marked a slowdown in the pace of rate hikes following four consecutive 75 basis point increases. The central bank raised the target range for the federal funds rate to 4.25 to 4.50 percent, the highest level in 15 years.

On the sectoral front, airline stocks moved sharply higher over the course of the session, with the NYSE Arca Airline Index soaring by 6.4 percent. Substantial strength was also visible among gold stocks, driving the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index up by 4.9 percent to a nearly seven-month closing high. The rally came as the price of gold for February delivery $12.90 to $1,859 an ounce. On the economic data front, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) released a report showing U.S. manufacturing activity contracted at a slightly faster rate in the month of December. The ISM said its manufacturing PMI edged down to 48.4 in December from 49.0 in November, with a reading below 50 indicating a contraction. Street had expected the index to slip to 48.5. Manufacturing activity contracted for the second consecutive month after expanding for 29 straight months, with the manufacturing PMI falling to its lowest level since hitting 43.5 in May 2020.

Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 133.4 points or 0.4 percent to 33,269.77, Nasdaq gained 71.78 points or 0.69 percent to 10,458.76 and S&P 500 was up by 28.83 points or 0.75 percent to 3,852.97.

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