Wall Street ends higher as Federal Reserve rate cut bets gather momentum

Wall Street ends higher as Federal Reserve rate cut bets gather momentum

By Stephen Culp

Tue November 25, 2025 4:23 PM

For the third day, the indexes spurted straight up when still another spate of government reports confirmed weakening retail sales, weakening consumer confidence, and a weakened job market thus stoking even more optimism for a December rate cut, with odds now at 84.7% vs 50.1% a week ago vs half of that two weeks ago. Also encouraging market sentiment was the likely successor to Powell at the Fed being the dovish Kevin Hassett creating greater hopes for more cuts throughout 2026.  

Both the Dow and Nasdaq went well into 3-digit gains. The only fly in the ointment today was the fact that this week’s reports are considered already stale due to delays from the shutdown. Volume was light coming in over 3 billion shares short of the 19.78 billion average, today closing at 16.68 billion. 

DJ: 46,448.27  +202.86        NAS: 22,872.01  +598.92       S&P: 6,705.12  +102.13          11/24

DJ: 47,112.45  +664.18        NAS: 23,025.59  +153.59       S&P: 6,765.89  +60.77        11/25

Tue 11-25-25 4:23 pm Wall Street ends higher as Federal Reserve rate cut bets gather momentum | Reuters