European stocks closed sharply higher on Thursday (September 18th) thanks to strong support from major technology companies, as investors assessed policy decisions from major central banks and their impact on global interest rates. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points, as expected, and issued a median projection of two more rate cuts this year, although upward revisions to core inflation expectations and higher growth dampened speculation of further cuts next year. Meanwhile, the Bank of England kept interest rates unchanged, as expected, but slowed the pace of its...
All three major Wall Street indexes closed at record highs on Thursday (September 19) after the Federal Reserve continued easing interest rates and indicated the possibility of further rate cuts this year. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% and the Nasdaq 100 jumped 0.9%, both extending their record highs from the previous session, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 123 points. Investors welcomed the Fed's quarter-point rate cut and the prospect of two additional cuts, interpreting the move as a shift toward supporting growth rather than strictly controlling inflation. Technology stocks...
Asian stocks were on the cusp of an intraday record high after US and global equity benchmarks hit fresh peaks, as the Federal Reserve's interest-rate cut bolstered sentiment. Stocks in Japan and Australia opened higher while South Korea was flat. The S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Russell 2000 small-cap index all closed together at fresh highs for the first time since November 2021. An MSCI index of global stocks also closed at a record in a sign of robust risk appetite. The yen was steady after Japan's...