Wall Street Navigates Fed Meeting and Strong Retail Sales as Indexes Hover Near Records

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market closed on September 16, 2025, with major indexes near all-time highs, driven by strong retail sales data and anticipation of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting [1][3] - The S&P 500 Index decreased by 0.1%, while the Nasdaq Composite finished up less than 0.1%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped between 0.2% and 0.3% [2] Economic Data - U.S. retail sales for August increased by 0.6% month-over-month, exceeding expectations of 0.3%, with July's figures revised to a 0.6% growth [5] - Upcoming economic releases include Housing Starts and Building Permits, which will provide insights into the housing market's health [6] Federal Reserve Meeting - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting is expected to conclude with a widely anticipated 25-basis-point reduction in the federal funds rate, aimed at boosting economic activity [4] Corporate Developments - Alphabet (GOOGL) shares rose, reaching a market capitalization above $3 trillion, following Citigroup's price target increase to $280 from $225 [7] - Tesla (TSLA) shares increased over 3% after Elon Musk's $1 billion stock purchase [7] - Emerson Electric (EMR) shares fell nearly 5% due to disappointing fiscal fourth-quarter orders guidance [8] - Webtoon Entertainment's shares soared 28% after a deal with Disney for a new digital comics platform [9] Upcoming Earnings Reports - General Mills (GIS) is set to report earnings, with other notable companies like FedEx (FDX), Micron Technology (MU), Accenture (ACN), Costco Wholesale (COST), and Nike (NKE) scheduled for later in September [12]