US markets end sharply higher on Friday

24 Aug 2024 Evaluate

The US markets ended sharply higher on Friday as highly anticipated remarks by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated the central bank is prepared to begin lowering interest rates. The time has come for policy to adjust, Powell said at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium, although he noted the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks. Powell's determination that it is time for the Fed to begin cutting rates comes as his confidence has grown that inflation is on a sustainable path back to 2 percent. Fed officials have repeatedly said they need greater confidence inflation is moving sustainably toward the central bank's 2 percent target before they would consider cutting rates.

Powell said inflation is now much closer to the Fed's objective, with consumer prices rising 2.5 percent year-over-year in July, and noted progress toward 2 percent has resumed after a pause earlier this year. The remarks by Powell came as recent inflation data has increased confidence the Fed will cut interest rates at its next monetary policy meeting in September. On the economic data front, a report released by the Commerce Department showed a substantial increase by new home sales in the U.S. in the month of July. The Commerce Department said new home sales spiked by 10.6 percent to an annual rate of 739,000 in July after rising by 0.3 percent to an upwardly revised rate of 668,000 in June. Street had expected new home sales to jump by 2.1 percent to an annual rate of 630,000 from the 617,000 originally reported for the previous month.

Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 462.3 points or 1.14 percent to 41,175.08 Nasdaq surged 258.44 points or 1.47 percent to 17,877.79 and S&P 500 was up by 63.97 points or 1.15 percent to 5,634.61.  


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