US markets pause near record levels: S&P 500 slips slightly; traders brace for Fed signals on 2026 rates
US stock market today: US equities showed little movement Wednesday morning as investors awaited the Federal Reserve’s policy announcement. S&P 500 edged down 0.1% but stayed close to its record levels, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average remained unchanged and the Nasdaq fell 0.3%. Treasury yields also showed little change as traders prepared for the Fed’s decision, reported AP.Before the market opened, S&P 500 and Dow futures dipped slightly, under 0.1%, while Nasdaq futures decreased by a similar margin. Market participants widely expect the Fed to reduce its main interest rate for the third time this year in a bid to support employment. Attention is also focused on signals about rate moves in 2026, with many anticipating a more cautious approach to future cuts.Several companies experienced notable premarket activity. Cracker Barrel dropped 8% after reporting a 4.7% decline in same-store sales for the first quarter and lowering full-year revenue guidance following an unsuccessful effort to update its branding and restaurants.PepsiCo climbed 1.4% after unveiling plans to reduce prices and remove almost 20% of its product lineup under an agreement with an activist investor. The company intends to redirect the savings toward marketing and enhancing value for consumers. GameStop lost nearly 7%, even after surpassing profit expectations, as revenue came in below forecasts, reported AP.Oracle, a major player in the AI industry, is scheduled to release its quarterly results after trading hours. Despite shares rising more than 30% this year, they have fallen by a similar magnitude since early September amid concerns over cash flow from its AI investments.Global markets displayed mixed results. In Europe, the CAC 40 in France fell 0.4%, Germany’s DAX declined 0.5%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 gained 0.3%. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 decreased 0.1% to 50,602.80, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.1% to 8,579.40, and South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.2% to 4,135.00. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.4% to 25,540.78, Shanghai’s Composite slipped 0.2% to 3,900.50, and Taiwan’s Taiex surged 0.8%.In commodities, US crude oil fell 30 cents to $58.55 a barrel, while Brent crude declined 26 cents to $62.20 a barrel. Silver reached a new high, trading above $60 per ounce.Investors are now closely monitoring the Fed’s announcement, weighing the potential benefits of lower interest rates against the risk of higher inflation, which continues to exceed the central bank’s 2% target.
