Resurgent S&P 500 crests new 2023 closing high after roller-coaster year
By Lewis Krauskopf
(Reuters) — A searing late-year rally has brought the S&P 500 to a fresh 2023 closing high, as investors bet the Federal Reserve is done raising interest rates and the U.S. economy will remain resilient in the face of tighter monetary policy.
The benchmark index closed at 4,594.63, nearly 6 points above its previous closing high for 2023 set in late July. The index gained 0.6% on Friday after bullish investors grew more confident the rate cycle had peaked following comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
Signs that inflation is cooling after reaching a four-decade high last year have made investors more confident that the Fed will start cutting rates sooner than expected.
At the same time, the Fed’s aggressive rate increases so far appear to have done little damage to the U.S. economy, despite fears that tighter monetary policy would hurt growth. The S&P 500 is up over 19% year-to-date after posting its biggest monthly rise in over a year in November. The index stood about 4% below its all-time closing high from January 2022.
Stocks have faced down several crises this year, starting with the implosion of Silicon Valley Bank in March that sparked worries over the health of the broader banking system.
A legislative showdown over raising the U.S. debt ceiling became a key concern for investors months later, with equities gaining support once a deal was reached.
The S&P 500 reached its previous 2023 closing high on July 31, also spurred in part by excitement over developments in artificial intelligence technology.
A steady rise in Treasury yields — which dulled the allure of stocks compared to bonds and other investments — began eroding those gains, resulting in a sell-off that eventually erased more
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