U.S. stocks soared on Wednesday, with tech stocks rebounding from a selloff as investors digested Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's position that interest rate cuts by the end of the year remain likely.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (^IXIC) rose about 0.8% on Tuesday as tech stocks led a broader sell-off. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) also rose 0.8%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose 0.6%. Both indexes experienced declines of more than 1%.
Mr. Powell's subsequent testimony to Congress stoked bubble fears by hitting Apple (AAPL) and Tesla (TSLA), two of the leading companies in the Magnificent Seven, and boosted stock prices after two days of losses. It is possible to give
Investors will be listening closely to see if Powell departs from the repeated message from Fed policymakers that there is no rush to cut rates. Powell told lawmakers that a rate cut would likely be warranted “at some point” in 2024. Investors will likely seek further clarity on the issue as Mr. Powell takes questions from lawmakers over the next two days.
“If the economy progresses broadly as expected, it would be appropriate to begin tapering policy restraints at some point this year,” Powell told the House Financial Services Committee.
Among individual stocks, CrowdStrike (CRWD) stock continued its post-earnings rally, rising more than 12% after the cybersecurity company's outlook suggested healthy demand in the sector.
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