Equities Mixed as Traders Look to Fed's Rate Decision - Marketsall

Equities Mixed as Traders Look to Fed’s Rate Decision

U.S. equity indexes showed mixed results on Monday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve’s key monetary policy decision later this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.5% to 41,619.4, and the S&P 500 edged up 0.1% to 5,630.5, recovering from earlier losses. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.5% to 17,594.8. Financials and energy stocks led the gains, while technology and consumer discretionary sectors saw declines.

The Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting is set to begin on Tuesday, with an announcement on interest rates expected Wednesday. Currently, there’s a 37% chance that the Fed will opt for a 25 basis point rate cut, though some analysts anticipate a more aggressive 50 basis point reduction, according to the CME FedWatch tool. Several prominent institutions, including Goldman Sachs and Oppenheimer Asset Management, predict a quarter-percentage-point cut.

Yields on U.S. Treasury bonds declined, with the 10-year yield dropping 2.6 basis points to 3.62%, and the two-year yield falling by 1.5 basis points to 3.56%. Oil prices climbed, with West Texas Intermediate crude rising by 2.6% to $70.45 per barrel, supported by supply concerns.