Dow Jumps Around 500 Points Following Fed Decision: Greed Index Remains In 'Fear' Zone

Market Overview - The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a slight increase in fear levels, with a current reading of 35.6 compared to a previous reading of 32.1, indicating the index remains in the "Fear" zone [6] - U.S. stocks experienced gains, with the Dow Jones index rising approximately 500 points during the session, closing at 48,057.75 [5] Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Open Market Committee reduced the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50–3.75%, attributing the decision to cooling labor conditions and moderating inflation [2] Company Performance - GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) was a notable performer, surging over 15% after raising its outlook during the Investor Day [3] - Conversely, Uber Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:UBER) underperformed, dropping more than 5% amid intensified regulatory pressure in Europe and a price target reduction by Morgan Stanley [3] Economic Data - U.S. compensation costs for civilian workers increased by 0.8% in the third quarter, a slight decrease from the 0.9% gain in the previous quarter [4] - Most sectors within the S&P 500 closed positively, with industrials, materials, and consumer discretionary stocks showing the largest gains, while utility stocks closed lower [4] Upcoming Earnings - Investors are anticipating earnings results from Ciena Corp. (NYSE:CIEN), Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), and Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ:COST) [5]