BREAKING NEWS Fed slashes interest rates by a half point in its first cut since 2020 NYSE American - Delayed Quote • USD INNOVATOR ETFS TRUST S&P 500 PW (^PAUG-IV) Follow 28.45 0.00 (0.00%) As of August 31 at 5:59 PM EDT. Market Open. Related News Fed 'dot plot' suggests central bank will slash interest rates two more times in 2024 after mega 50 basis point cut Central bank officials predict changes to come with interest rates expected to tick down to 4.4% this year. Tech stocks have 'a bit further to go' in 2024: Strategist Truist co-chief investment officer and chief market strategist Keith Lerner believes tech stocks will run even higher in the fourth quarter, despite seasonal volatility (^VIX) that could persist. Lerner joins Madison Mills and Brad Smith on Morning Brief to examine how the tech sector could see late 2024 gains driven by earnings. "I think partly is that the earnings momentum is still with tech," he says, adding in his view tech stocks have "overextended positioning," so "what you've really been seeing in the last maybe month or two is really kind of getting some of that excess sentiment wrung out from the sector." Tech stocks have "a bit further to go," and "as we get into the earnings season, in a cooling economy, tech on the earnings front still outperforms. He adds "That will drive investors back to tech" because "that's the part of this bull market." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Naomi Buchanan. Stocks flat at open as markets await Fed's rate decision US stocks (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC) are largely flat at Wednesday's market open as investors continue to price in their interest rate expectations and the size of rate cuts to come from the Federal Reserve later today. Morning Brief host Brad Smith checks out the morning's index and sector movements, while Yahoo Finance markets and date editor Jared Blikre eyes the trends in market volatility (^VIX) seen this week. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan. Why the Fed's soft landing is in sight: Opening Bid All eyes are on the Federal Reserve as its highly-anticipated meeting has finally arrived. The central bank is expected to cut interest rates for the first time in four years as it eyes a soft landing for the US economy in its battle against inflation. Dan Niles, Niles Investment Management founder and portfolio manager, joins Seana Smith on Opening Bid to discuss how the Fed's rate-easing cycle could impact the market and why he believes a soft landing is in sight. Niles also discusses the state of AI and Big Tech as investors brace for a market rotation and look for returns on AI players' massive CapEx spending. Fed lowers interest rates by half point in first cut since 2020 The Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time in more than four years Wednesday, ending its most aggressive inflation-fighting campaign since the 1980s. S&P 500 intraday high, Mag 7, silver: Market Takeaways The S&P 500 (^GSPC) reached an intraday record high on Tuesday while closing just below its flatline on the eve of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. Yahoo Finance markets and date editor Jared Blikre joins Josh Lipton on Asking for a Trend to look back on the day's biggest market drivers, which also includes fund managers' persistent bullishness on Magnificent Seven tech stocks and pricing trends within silver (SI=F). For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Asking for a Trend. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan. Gold Rises to Record After Fed Makes First Rate Cut Since 2020 (Bloomberg) -- Gold advanced to a record high after the Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by a half a percentage point Wednesday, in an aggressive start to a policy shift to boost the labor market and defend the economy.Most Read from BloombergCalifornia’s Anti-Speeding Bill Can Be a Traffic Safety BreakthroughPipe Fire Near Houston Forces Residents to EvacuateTo Build a Happier City, Design for DensityLondon Mayor Plans to Pedestrianize Busy Oxford StreetNew York City’s Transi Fed Cuts Rates by Half Point In Decisive Bid to Defend Economy (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by a half percentage point Wednesday, in an aggressive start to a policy shift aimed at bolstering the US labor market.Most Read from BloombergCalifornia’s Anti-Speeding Bill Can Be a Traffic Safety BreakthroughPipe Fire Near Houston Forces Residents to EvacuateTo Build a Happier City, Design for DensityLondon Mayor Plans to Pedestrianize Busy Oxford StreetNew York City’s Transit System Plans $65.4 Billion of Upgrades for Gra These Are The Best Robinhood Stocks To Buy Or Watch Now Buying a stock is easy, but purchasing the right one without a proven strategy is incredibly hard. Here are the best Robinhood stocks to buy now. Equity Markets Eke Out Gains Ahead of Fed Decision Equity Markets Eke Out Gains Ahead of Fed Decision Stocks Fluctuate With Fed Decision Coming Shortly: Markets Wrap (Bloomberg) -- Stocks wavered amid uncertainties on how aggressive the Federal Reserve will be with rate cuts after holding them at a two-decade high for more than a year. Most Read from BloombergCalifornia’s Anti-Speeding Bill Can Be a Traffic Safety BreakthroughPipe Fire Near Houston Forces Residents to EvacuateTo Build a Happier City, Design for DensityLondon Mayor Plans to Pedestrianize Busy Oxford StreetNew York City’s Transit System Plans $65.4 Billion of Upgrades for Grand Central, Subway Three stocks to note before the Fed rate cut decision Here are the stocks making the biggest market moves. US Equity Indexes Rise in Choppy Trading Ahead of Fed's Policy Move, Guidance on Easing Path US Equity Indexes Rise in Choppy Trading Ahead of Fed's Policy Move, Guidance on Easing Path Stocks Flat as Fed Interest-Rate Decision Looms The market remains in a holding pattern ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision. The Dow was up 2 points, or nearly unchanged. The S&P 500 was up 0.1%. The Nasdaq Composite was flat. The yield on the 2-year Treasury note was up to 3. Wells Fargo Set to Capitalize Any S&P 500 Weakness as Presidential Election, Rate-Cut Cycle Approaches Wells Fargo Set to Capitalize Any S&P 500 Weakness as Presidential Election, Rate-Cut Cycle Approaches Solar panel giant to axe a fifth of its workforce One of Europe’s largest solar panel manufacturers has announced it will cut about 200 jobs as it battles to return to profitability amid stiff competition from China. All Eyes on Fed Decision: Will Small-Caps Finally Take the Baton? The Fed is about to cut its benchmark policy rate for the first time in more than four years. Next Federal Reserve Meeting: The Fed Rate-Cut Outlook And What It Means For The S&P 500 Fed meetings are always a mark-your-calendar event for investors. The Sept. 17-18 meeting is especially important. Fed Meeting: Rate Cuts Likely To Start With A Bang. The S&P 500 Reaction May Be Especially Wild. This week's Federal Reserve meeting will kick off a new easing cycle. Wall Street expects a half-point rate cut as the S&P 500 aims at a new high. Traders Lock In Fed Bets as Rate-Cut Size Debate to Finally End (Bloomberg) -- Bond investors that have been frantically wagering on the size of the Federal Reserve’s first interest-rate cut in four years are about to find out whether they made the right trade.Most Read from BloombergCalifornia’s Anti-Speeding Bill Can Be a Traffic Safety BreakthroughPipe Fire Near Houston Forces Residents to EvacuateTo Build a Happier City, Design for DensityLondon Mayor Plans to Pedestrianize Busy Oxford StreetNew York City’s Transit System Plans $65.4 Billion of Upgrades