S&P 500 ends slightly down as investors await Fed rate decision

S&P 500 ends slightly down as investors await Fed rate decision

By Sinéad Carew and Johann M Cherian

Tue December 9, 2025 4:52 PM

Despite all the division within the Fed, optimism is still very high for a rate cut on Wednesday but doubts have grown that there will be more cuts coming in 2026. Thus the indexes were way up in the morning, the Dow up over 200, but then everything started sliding at the noon hour with both the Dow and the S&P losing all their gains and then quite a bit besides. Even with the rate cut, sentiment says that Fed comments will be more hawkish than desired with warnings that prices may well continue upward again because of the cut.  

US stocks end lower as investors wait for Fed rate decision

US stocks end lower as investors wait for Fed rate decision

By Sinéad Carew and Johann M Cherian

Mon December 8, 2025 4:47 PM  

Anxiety is high over a deeply divided Fed concerning Wednesday’s announcement on rates and the nervousness sent the whole market down all day long, the Dow down 3-digits again, all hedging bets in case the outcome is negative. Despite this, odds of a ¼ point cut still stand at a whopping 89%. But what investors are really counting on is not so much the ¼ point cut in two days but a lot more clues about future policy moves, something they feel has been sorely lacking.  

Wall St closes with slight gains as data keeps Fed cut expectations on track

Wall St closes with slight gains as data keeps Fed cut expectations on track

By Chuck Mikolajczak

Fri December 5, 2025 4:25 PM  

PCE came in right on target so gave the markets a modest bump. Commerce Dept data showed consumer spending also increasing right in line with forecasts. The problem is that all this data is still old, August and September, so still considered unreliable. The U of M Consumer Sentiment Survey also improved and even topped estimates. Even though there are still a large number of Fed officials opposed to a rate cut due to inflation concerns, the market consensus for a cut next Wednesday stands today at 87.2%, up from 30% two weeks ago. For the week, all three indexes climbed modestly and that makes two weeks in a row of gains. At 16.2 billion, volume still remains over more than a billion shares shy of the 17.72 average. 

DJ: 47,850.94  -31.96        NAS: 23,505.14  +51.04        S&P: 6,857.12  +7.40              12/4

DJ: 47,954.99  +104.05     NAS: 23,578.13  +72.99        S&P: 6,870.40  +13.28            12/5

Fri 12-5-25 4:25 pm Wall St advances as data keeps Fed cut expectations on track | Reuters

Indexes end near flat, supported by Fed hopes but dragged by Amazon

Indexes end near flat, supported by Fed hopes but dragged by Amazon

By Chuck Mikolajczak

Thu December 4, 2025 4:24 PM  

The markets were more or less flat today due to the continued lack of government data. But the data that is coming from private sources shows a mixed picture with, on the one hand, unemployment falling but, on the other hand, probably due to temporary holiday hiring. Today’s Commerce Dept data shows factory orders continuing to shrink due to tariffs but, overall, good news for the rate cut crowd. Powell remains modestly hawkish but the overall sentiment is that a cut is coming this month.  

Indexes close higher as data keeps Fed rate cut expectations elevated

Indexes close higher as data keeps Fed rate cut expectations elevated

By Chuck Mikolajczak

Wed December 3, 2025 4:27 PM

Today’s reports showed private payrolls unexpectedly declined and the service sectors remaining static, all  of which boosted optimism for a December rate cut, today up to 89% odds, more evidence of a shrinking labor market and weakening economy, and thus boosted all three indexes straight up for the entire session, the Dow to another impressive mid-3-digit gain. Of course, the real test comes Friday with the Personal Expenditures, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. Compounding the problem is the fact that October and November  employment data has been delayed until after the Fed’s announcement. Volume continues to be well below the 18.19 billion average, coming in today at just 15.44 billion. 

DJ: 47,474.46  +185.13        NAS: 23,413.67  +137.75       S&P: 6,829.37  +16.74        12/2

DJ: 47,882.90  +408.44        NAS: 23,454.09  +40.42         S&P: 6,849.72   +20.35        12/3

 

Equities rise on Fed rate cut optimism, Boeing jumps

Equities rise on Fed rate cut optimism, Boeing jumps

By Chuck Mikolajczak

Tue December 2, 2025 4:22 PM

It was a herky-jerky day on all three indexes as the market jumped up and down but at least never went into the red and gave us our seven straight up days with only one (yesterday) in the red. The lack of current government data and everyone on the fence waiting for a widely expected rate cut has contributed to today’s volatility.  

Wall Street ends lower as yields climb; crypto stocks drop

Wall Street ends lower as yields climb; crypto stocks drop

By Chuck Mikolajczak

Mon December 1, 2025 4:24 PM

After all the wonderful gains last week, investors went into cautious mode today with all three showing losses, the Dow in 3-digits. All the incoming data continues to point to a weakening economy with the only good news being the new optimism over a December rate cut. This optimism has also been bolstered by the recent strong speculation that the anticipated replacement for Powell will be dovish with more rate cuts coming in the coming year.  Volume was again well below the 18.6 billion average, coming in today at a mere 15.6 billion. 

 

DJ:          47,716.42  +289.30                 NAS:       23,365.69  +151.00                 S&P:       6,849.09  +36.48                     11/28

DJ:          47,289.33  -427.09                  NAS:       23,275.92  -89.76                    S&P:       6,812.63  -36.46                      12/1