In a historic rally, the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached an all-time high on Wednesday, buoyed by the Federal Reserve’s announcement of potential rate cuts in the coming year. Investors, eager for a more accommodative monetary stance in light of easing inflation, welcomed the central bank’s forward-looking indications.
The 30-stock Dow soared by 512.30 points, or 1.40%, closing at an unprecedented 37,090.24. This milestone marks the first time the benchmark has surpassed the 37,000 mark, surpassing a previous record set in January 2022. At its peak during the session, the Dow reached 37,094.85.
The broader market also experienced substantial gains, with the S&P 500 rising by 1.37% to conclude the session at 4,707.09—crossing the 4,700 threshold for the first time since January 2022. Simultaneously, the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.38% to 14,733.96. All three major averages achieved fresh 52-week highs.
While the Federal Reserve maintained the overnight borrowing rate within the expected 5.25% to 5.5% range, the notable aspect was its projection of three rate cuts in 2024, exceeding prior indications. Investors, anticipating clearer signals on rate cuts in the face of recent favorable inflation data, found satisfaction in the Fed’s adjusted stance.
The Fed’s statement acknowledged the easing of inflation over the past year, formally lowering its inflation forecast for 2024 to 2.4%, down from 2.6%. Gina Bolvin, President of Bolvin Wealth Management Group, expressed optimism, stating, “The Fed has given the market an early holiday gift today when, finally, for the first time, they have commented positively about inflation. It appears that the Fed is moving in the market’s direction, rather than the market moving towards the Fed. The Santa Claus rally may continue.”
The Dow had retreated from record levels in early 2022 as the Fed initiated a policy tightening campaign to combat inflation. In the previous year, the benchmark experienced an 8.8% drop, marking its most substantial annual decline since 2008. However, since the onset of the fourth quarter, the Dow has surged over 10%, fueled by optimism surrounding potential policy easing.
Wednesday’s gains propelled the Dow’s year-to-date rise to 11.9%. The broader market saw even more significant increases, with the S&P 500 up 22.6% in 2023, and the Nasdaq Composite recording an impressive 40.8% year-to-date gain.
Encouraging inflation data earlier in the week, including an unchanged producer price index in November and a slowing consumer price index, contributed to the positive market sentiment. Following the Fed’s rate forecast release, the 10-year Treasury yield, a benchmark for various interest rates, dropped to 4.03%, reaching its lowest levels since August.
Shares of financial institutions such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo, poised to benefit from a potential soft landing orchestrated by the Fed, surged by 4% and nearly 3%, respectively. Home Depot, anticipating a boost in sales with a potential housing market revival, also gained 3% in Wednesday’s trading session.
