Stock market today: S&P 500 hits fresh record with Fed decision, Big Tech earnings bonanza on deck

Group 1: Market Performance - US stocks mostly rose, with the S&P 500 hitting a fresh record as optimism around tech offset political concerns [1] - The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite led the gains with nearly a 1% increase, while the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to an all-time high [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell approximately 0.8%, primarily due to a significant drop in UnitedHealth shares [1] Group 2: Earnings Reports - The S&P 500's record was supported by positive news from memory chipmakers, boosting optimism for tech ahead of key earnings reports [2] - Major companies such as Meta, Microsoft, and Tesla are set to release their results, with Apple following shortly after [2] Group 3: Company-Specific News - UnitedHealth's shares plummeted around 20% despite reporting a quarterly profit beat, as the proposed Medicare payment rates did not meet expectations [3] - Health insurer stocks declined following the announcement of the Medicare payment proposal [3] Group 4: Economic Indicators - Consumer confidence dropped to its lowest level since 2014, influenced by tariff-related price effects and uncertainty in trade policy [5] - The Federal Reserve began its two-day meeting, with expectations to maintain the benchmark interest rate steady, while markets are looking for future rate cut signals [6]