What Time Is the Fed's Interest-Rate Decision? Plus, How to Watch Powell's Press Conference.CONCLUDED[The Fed Holds Interest Rates Steady. Powell Steers Clear of Politics.]Last Updated:---1 day ago# What Time Is the Fed's Interest-Rate Decision? Plus, How to Watch Powell's Press Conference.Photo: Kevin Lamarque/ReutersThe first Federal Reserve interest-rate decision of 2026 is nearly here.The policymaking arm of the central bank, the Federal Open Market Committee, will announce its January decision on Wedne ...

Group 1: Gold Price Movement - Gold futures opened at $4,594.30 per troy ounce, down 0.1% from the previous closing price of $4,599.10, but later rose 1.2% to an all-time high of $4,647.60 [1][2] - Gold's one-year gain was reported at 74.5% as of December 29, with recent weekly, monthly, and yearly changes showing increases of 3.2%, 7.4%, and 71.8% respectively [5][8] Group 2: Political Influence on Gold Prices - Concerns regarding the Federal Reserve's independence from political pressure have contributed to the recent surge in gold prices, particularly following the Trump administration's actions against Fed Chair Jerome Powell [2][4] - A coalition of 10 central bank and financial institution leaders issued a statement supporting Powell, emphasizing the importance of central bank independence for economic stability [3] Group 3: Investment Options in Gold - Various methods to invest in gold include physical gold, gold mining stocks, gold ETFs, and gold futures, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages [6][9] - Physical gold is tangible and easily accessible, while gold mining stocks can be volatile due to their dependence on gold prices and geopolitical risks [13][17] - Gold ETFs track the price of gold and offer greater liquidity, but they come with fund fees that can dilute returns [19][23] - Gold futures allow for leverage and convenience but carry higher risks and complexity [21][24]

Kevin Hassett and Kevin Warsh are in a neck-and-neck race for the next chairman of the Federal Reserve – with the lead changing hands on prediction markets several times this week.Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, regained the top spot on Kalshi and Polymarket on Tuesday as he pleaded his case for the job.The Fed’s “independence is really, really important, and the voices of the other people at the [Federal Open Market Committee], they’re important, too,” Hassett told CNBC on Tuesday.Kevin ...

Market Overview - The market is showing positive movement after a down-session on Friday, with the Dow up by 244 points, S&P 500 up by 36 points, Nasdaq up by 160 points, and Russell 2000 up by 21 points [2] - The 10-year bond yield remains stable at 4.17%, while the 2-year bond yield has decreased to 3.50% [2] Economic Indicators - The Empire State Manufacturing Index reported a negative reading of -3.9 for December, significantly missing expectations of +10 and down from +18.7 in the previous month [3][4] - This marks only the second negative monthly print in the last six months, indicating ongoing struggles in domestic manufacturing [4] - The Homebuilders Confidence survey for December is expected to show a print of 38, indicating ongoing challenges for domestic homebuilders [5] Federal Reserve Insights - Fed Governor Stephen Miran and New York Fed President John Williams are scheduled to discuss interest-rate decision-making, with differing views on rate cuts [6] - The upcoming jobs report is anticipated to show an increase of 50,000 new jobs for November, which is below the threshold needed to maintain positive job growth, with the unemployment rate expected to rise to 4.5% [9][10] Earnings Reports - Key earnings data is expected from various companies, including homebuilders Lennar and KB Home, data storage producer Micron, FedEx, and Nike during the final full trading week of 2025 [11]

Stocks are likely to get choppy later today when Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference starts. - MarketWatch photo illustration/Getty Images, iStockphoto Investors were bracing for the Federal Reserve’s final interest-rate decision of 2025 on Wednesday, with history showing that the S&P 500 index has tended to see a modest gain on Fed days in December. Going back to 2000, the S&P 500 SPX has gained an average of roughly 0.2% on December Fed days, with a median gain of 0.1%, according to Dow Jones Ma ...

Core Viewpoint - Treasury yields exhibited mixed performance as investors remained cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve's upcoming interest-rate decision on Wednesday [1] Group 1 - Investor caution is prevalent in the market as the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision approaches [1]

Group 1 - Stocks traded higher on Tuesday as Wall Street assessed a flood of earnings reports [2] - The market is looking ahead to the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates, scheduled for Wednesday [2]

Core Viewpoint - The upcoming week is critical for the stock market as it faces a significant Federal Reserve interest-rate decision alongside major technology companies reporting earnings, all amid a prolonged government shutdown [1][2]. Market Performance - U.S. stocks have experienced a record-setting rally in October, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 1.7%, the S&P 500 increasing by 1.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite advancing 2.4% [2]. Federal Reserve's Interest Rate Decision - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is expected to lower policy rates by a quarter-point to a range of 3.75% to 4%, with investors closely monitoring the decision due to the lack of key economic data [3][4]. - The unusual nature of this week's Fed decision stems from uncertainty regarding both the U.S. economy's future and the economic conditions leading up to the meeting [4][5]. - Analysts suggest that the Fed's decision may reflect a cautious stance towards growth risks, indicating a desire to mitigate potential economic slowdowns [5]. Market Reactions and Expectations - Some market analysts express skepticism about the Fed meeting's impact on markets, noting that recent economic data has not significantly changed the Fed's short-term interest rate trajectory [6]. - Any alterations in the policy statement or comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell regarding inflation or growth could influence market expectations for future rate cuts, extending into 2026 [6].

Core Insights - The stock market is experiencing a record-setting rally that is now facing challenges due to a significant Federal Reserve interest-rate decision and a wave of earnings reports from major technology companies [1] Group 1: Federal Reserve Interest-Rate Decision - The upcoming interest-rate decision by the Federal Reserve is pivotal and is expected to impact market dynamics significantly [1] Group 2: Megacap Tech Earnings - A flood of earnings reports from megacap technology companies is coinciding with the Federal Reserve's decision, adding to the market's volatility [1]

Core Insights - The US stock market is experiencing a recovery from recent selloffs, primarily driven by short-sellers covering their positions, indicating a potential market squeeze [1][3]. Group 1: Market Performance - Goldman Sachs' basket of the most-shorted stocks has increased by 16% this month, outperforming the S&P 500 Index, which only advanced by 0.7% [2]. - The S&P 500 has shown remarkable resilience, achieving one of its best performance streaks since the 1950s, despite ongoing uncertainties [3]. Group 2: Investor Sentiment - There is a growing trend of investors covering their short positions ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision scheduled for October 29, which may create a misleading sense of confidence in the market [3]. - Risk aversion is rising as traders are now selling upside calls to fund downside protection, reflecting a shift in sentiment as the market rallies [5]. Group 3: Economic Outlook - There is a prevailing belief that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates soon, but some analysts caution that the actual impact of such reductions may be overestimated [6]. - The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) has fallen below the key level of 20, indicating reduced market volatility after a brief spike, suggesting a stabilization in investor sentiment [7].