S&P 500 hits record high buoyed by economic hopes: Markets wrap
Wall Street traders betting the Federal Reserve will be able to engineer a soft landing spurred a rally in riskier corners of the market, with stocks hitting all-time highs.
The S&P 500 climbed 1.7% — notching its 39th record in 2024 and extending this year’s surge to about 20%. Tech led gains, while defensive industries underperformed. The Nasdaq 100 added 2.6% and the Russell 2000 of small caps rose 2.1%. In late hours, FedEx Corp. tumbled on a bearish outlook. Nike Inc. surged after saying longtime executive Elliott Hill is coming out of retirement to replace John Donahoe as chief executive officer.
While a relative sense of calm prevailed, traders also braced for a quarterly episode known as “triple witching” in which derivatives contracts tied to stocks, index options and futures will mature — potentially amplifying market moves. About $5.1 trillion are set to expire Friday, according to an estimate from Asym 500. The options expiry coincides with the rebalancing of benchmark indexes.
The Fed’s bold start to cutting interest rates and its determination not to fall behind the curve re-ignited hopes the central bank will be able to avoid a recession. Data Thursday showing a slide in jobless claims to the lowest since May signaled the labor market remains healthy despite a slowdown in hiring.
“Despite some volatility after the Fed’s rate cut, the S&P 500’s bullish trend remains intact,” said Fawad Razaqzada at City Index and Forex.com. “The Fed’s decision to deliver a 50-basis point rate cut was largely
