By Lisa Pauline Mattackal and Purvi Agarwal
(Reuters) – Wall Street’s main indexes were poised for a higher open on Wednesday, as investors were optimistic about the Federal Reserve’s final rate decision of the year and awaited signals on whether policymakers will take a more cautious stance in 2025.
The Fed is widely expected to reduce interest rates by 25 basis points at its meeting. The announcement is expected at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
With a rate cut broadly priced in, the Fed’s summary of economic projections (SEP), which includes the “dot plot” of rate projections, and comments from Chair Jerome Powell will be in focus for indications on the rate path in 2025.
“The question is more about what happens next and what’s the rhetoric around 2025. Powell’s really guided markets in a pretty safe (way) and kind of kept them stable enough to continue the upward trajectory in 2022, and we expect today to be similar,” said Keith Buchanan, senior portfolio manager, Globalt Investments.
“We expect two cuts in 2025, that’s down from a few months ago. The market is starting to grapple with that happening.”
Wall Street’s main indexes had dipped in Tuesday’s session, with the Dow notching its ninth straight daily decline, its longest losing streak since February 1978, as markets increasingly look for a more hawkish Fed next year on the back of strong growth and persistent inflation limiting the case for steady rate cuts.
U.S. Treasury yields have ticked higher with the change in Fed expectations, with the 10-year yield up past 4.4%.
Most rate-sensitive megacap stocks ticked higher in premarket trading, with AI giant Nvidia (NASDAQ:) up 2.5% after hitting an over two-month low on Tuesday.
Tesla (NASDAQ:), meanwhile, dropped 1.9% after rising over 14% in the last three sessions.
At 8:25 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 181 points, or 0.42%, E-minis were up 18 points, or 0.30% and E-minis were up 48.75 points, or 0.22%.
Still, despite some jitters over future Fed policy, stocks are on track to end the year strong with the S&P 500 up nearly 27%, the Nasdaq up nearly 34% and the Dow up over 15%.
The rally has been fueled by technology companies that capitalized on the euphoria around artificial intelligence, the prospects of a lower rate environment and hope of pro-business policies from the incoming Donald Trump administration.
Crypto-focused stocks slipped as bitcoin fell 1.3%. MARA Holdings and Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:) down 1.2% each.
Birkenstock (NYSE:) advanced 4.8% after beating market expectations for fourth-quarter results, helped by robust full-price sales of the footwear maker’s pricey sandals in the U.S. and Asia.
Merck (NS:) gained marginally after the drugmaker signed a deal worth up to $2 billion with Hansoh Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize the Chinese biotech’s experimental obesity drug.
General Mills (NYSE:) fell 4.4% as the Cheerios maker slashed its annual profit forecast, while Jabil jumped 9.6% after the electronic components maker beat estimates for first-quarter results.
