The three major indices showed mixed trends in a flat range as markets continued to grapple with the Federal Reserve’s hawkish rate cut.
At the close of trading on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 15.37 points (0.04%) to 42,342.24. The S&P 500 dipped 5.08 points (0.09%) to 5,867.08, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 19.92 points (0.10%) to 19,372.77.
The influx of repulsive buying pushed the three major indices higher in early trading. However, these gains were quickly returned as uncertainty surrounding the Fed’s monetary policy weighed on investor sentiment. Market participants seemed unsettled by the forecast for the number of rate cuts next year, which was originally four times, has been reduced to two times in the dot chart released by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) the day before. Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve, emphasized in the post-meeting press conference that the pace of rate cuts would be tempered due to ongoing inflation concerns.
Economic indicators released on the same day also bolstered the Fed’s approach to monetary easing. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that the final estimate for third-quarter GDP growth came in at 3.1% (annualized), surpassing the preliminary estimate of 2.8% announced a month ago by 0.3% and economists’ expectations of 2.9%. The labor market also showed resilience; the U.S. Department of Labor reported that initial unemployment insurance benefit claims for December 14 fell by 22,000 to 220,000.
In the semiconductor and AI sector, Nvidia (+1.35%), Marvell Technology (+3.64%), MACOM Technology (+3.39%), and Qorvo (+0.44%) indicated an upward trend, while most components of the PHLX Semiconductor Sector declined. Nvidia managed to snap a six-day losing streak.
Micron Technology’s stock plunged more than 16% following disappointing earnings results, marking its steepest drop since March 2020. Broadcom and AMD shed more than 2%, while Arm Holdings tumbled more than 3%.
However, the Magnificent Seven(M7) tech giants showed relative resilience, with some even posting gains. Apple and Amazon advanced, while Microsoft, Tesla, and Meta finished slightly lower.
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