por admin » Mié Mar 17, 2021 1:08 pm
Dow jumps 200 points after Fed says it will hold off on rate hikes through 2023
PUBLISHED TUE, MAR 16 20216:01 PM EDTUPDATED WED, MAR 17 20212:04 PM EDT
Yun Li
@YUNLI626
Maggie Fitzgerald
@MKMFITZGERALD
WATCH NOW
VIDEO03:01
Stocks open mixed ahead of Fed’s interest rate decision
U.S. stocks erased earlier losses and jumped higher Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said it sees no interest rate hikes through 2023 despite an improving outlook and higher inflation.
The S&P 500 traded 0.5% lower. The Nasdaq Composite lost 1.2% as technology shares got hit by rising bond yields again. Apple fell 2.2%, while Alphabet, Netflix and Microsoft all traded at least 1% lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 50 points, supported by Caterpillar and McDonald’s.
The 10-year Treasury yield rose 6 basis to 1.689%, hitting a level unseen since late January 2020 and exceeding its recent high on Friday of 1.642%. The 30-year rate jumped to 2.428%, its highest level since November 2019. Higher rates erode the value of future cash flows, hurting growth-oriented companies particularly hard.
On Wednesday, the Fed will release new economic and interest rate forecasts, which could indicate Fed officials expect to raise rates by, or even before, 2023. The central bank is expected to acknowledge stronger growth, which should put the Fed’s easy policies in the spotlight, especially given the new $1.9 trillion in federal stimulus spending.
“It is no exaggeration to say that this FOMC meeting has the potential to be the most important one in years as the market is effectively demanding action from the Fed to counter the recent spike in bond yields,” Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report, said in a note.
Investors will also hear from Fed Chair Powell, who is likely to move the stock and bond markets with his commentary, despite being unlikely to offer specifics. Many expect the Fed chair to stress the central bank’s willingness to allow inflation to run hotter than usual in an effort to ensure a full labor-market recovery.
“There’s this assumption [Powell’s] going to be dovish... With another round of spending, it’s hard for him not to be dovish. They are definitely afraid of scaring the market. They’re afraid of disrupting the recovery,” said Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer of Bleakley Advisory Group.
Rising interest rates have been an overhang for stocks in recent weeks, specifically the tech sector. The jump in yields has forced a shift into value stocks from growth, pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 to hover near record highs.
Shares of Disney erased earlier losses and gained 0.8% after CEO Bob Chapek told CNBC that California’s two Disneyland theme parks will reopen on April 30.
McDonald’s climbed 2% after Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock to buy from hold.
—CNBC’s Patti Domm contributed to this report.