US markets end mostly higher following inflation data, Fed announcement

13 Jun 2024 Evaluate

The US markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday following the release of a Labor Department report showing U.S. consumer prices were unexpectedly flat in the month of May. The Labor Department said its consumer price index came in unchanged in May after rising by 0.3 percent in April. Street had expected consumer prices to inch up by 0.1 percent. The unchanged reading came as a 3.5 percent nosedive by gasoline prices helped offset a continued increase in prices for shelter. Excluding food and energy prices, core consumer prices rose by 0.2 percent in May after climbing by 0.3 percent in April. Core prices were expected to increase by another 0.3 percent. The report also said the annual rate of consumer price growth slowed to 3.3 percent in May from 3.4 percent in April. Economists had expected the pace of growth to remain unchanged.

However, while announcing its widely expected decision to leave interest rates unchanged, the Fed also revealed officials now expect only one interest rate cut this year. In support of its goals of maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run, the Fed said it decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 5.25 to 5.50 percent. The Fed acknowledged modest further progress toward its inflation objective in recent months but said officials still need greater confidence inflation is moving sustainably towards the target before they will consider lowering rates. On the sectoral front, Interest rate-sensitive housing stocks turned in some of the market's best performances on the day, resulting in a 2.9 percent spike by the Philadelphia Housing Sector Index.

Nasdaq gained 264.89 points or 1.53 percent to 17,608.44 and S&P 500 was up by 45.71 points or 0.85 percent to 5,421.03, while Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 35.21 points or 0.09 percent to 38,712.21.  


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

×