US markets end mostly higher; Fed keeps interest rates unchanged

29 Jan 2026 Evaluate

The US markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve announced its widely expected decision to leave interest rates unchanged. The Fed said it decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3.50 to 3.75 percent following three consecutive quarter point rate cuts. As with other recent decisions, the choice to leave rates unchanged was not unanimous, as Fed Governors Stephen Miran and Christopher Waller preferred cutting rates by another quarter point. The Fed said the decision to leave rates unchanged came amid elevated uncertainty about the economic outlook. The central bank also said it remains attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate of maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run.

On the sectorial front, despite the choppy trading by the broader markets, gold stocks moved sharply higher amid a continued surge by the price of the precious metal, driving the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index up by 2.7 percent to a new record closing high.

Nasdaq increased 40.34 points or 0.17 percent to 23,857.447 and Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 12.19 points or 0.02 percent to 49,015.6, while S&P 500 fell 0.57 points or 0.01 percent to 6,978.03.


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