Stock Market Today: S&P 500, Dow Jones Futures Gain After Federal Reserve Pauses Rate Cuts—Tesla, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, IBM In Focus

Market Overview - U.S. stock futures rose on Thursday following a mixed close on Wednesday, with major benchmark indices showing positive movement [1] - The Federal Reserve maintained the federal funds rate at 3.5%–3.75%, pausing its easing cycle after three rate cuts last year [1] Federal Reserve Insights - Fed Chair Jerome Powell emphasized a data-driven approach to decision-making, avoiding political criticisms during a press conference [2] - The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.26%, while the two-year bond was at 3.58%, with an 86.5% likelihood of unchanged interest rates in March according to CME Group's FedWatch tool [3] Stock Performance - Dow Jones increased by 0.15%, S&P 500 by 0.27%, Nasdaq 100 by 0.37%, and Russell 2000 by 0.26% [3] - Microsoft (MSFT) shows a weak price trend across all time frames but maintains a good quality ranking [3] - Tesla (TSLA) has a stronger long-term price trend but a weak short-term trend with a poor value ranking [4] - Meta Platforms (META) maintains a strong price trend across all time frames with a good quality ranking [5] - International Business Machines (IBM) shows a stronger price trend across all time frames with a solid quality ranking [6] - Apple Inc. (AAPL) is projected to post quarterly earnings of $2.67 per share on revenue of $138.42 billion, with a stronger long-term price trend but weak short and medium-term trends [8] Sector Performance - Energy and information technology stocks closed higher, while real estate, consumer staples, and health care sectors recorded the largest losses on Wednesday [9] Analyst Insights - BlackRock maintains a constructive economic outlook, citing "immutable economic laws" as stabilizers against extreme policy shifts [10] - The firm expects the Federal Reserve to adopt a "wait-and-see" stance, leaving interest rates unchanged due to mixed economic signals [11] - BlackRock remains overweight on U.S. equities, viewing the "AI buildout" as a significant structural driver, while forecasting record U.S. investment-grade bond issuance of $1.85 trillion this year [11] - Increased leverage among mega-cap tech firms is noted, with a preference for high-yield bonds over investment-grade bonds due to potential vulnerabilities in the financial system [12] Commodities and Global Markets - Crude oil futures rose by 2.55% to approximately $64.82 per barrel, while Gold Spot increased by 1.88% to around $5,519.32 per ounce [14] - Bitcoin (BTC) traded 1.57% lower at $87,847.25 per coin [14] Economic Data - Upcoming economic data includes initial jobless claims, delayed U.S. trade deficit report, and revised U.S. productivity data [15]