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Wall Street holds gains, Treasury yields pare losses as Fed dampens rate-cut expectations

U.S. stocks fluctuated but resumed their rally and U.S. Treasury yields pared earlier declines after the U.S. Federal Reserve left rates of interest unchanged and reduced expectations for rate cuts this year.

The dollar shed some weak point after the Fed's policy declaration and its Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) was launched.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq remained sharply higher, while the blue-chip Dow rose slightly.

The more-hawkish-than-expected SEP appeared to oppose the Labor Department's closely watched CPI report released earlier in the day, which showed core prices growing at their slowest yearly pace in over three years.

It's a little frustrating to see this continued hawkishness, particularly on the very same day where you get one of the softest inflation reports in probably a couple of years, stated Ross Mayfield, financial investment technique expert at Baird in Louisville, Kentucky. The market is going to have a hard time a bit with how hawkish the Fed is in light of all of not just this morning's information, but recently's too.

In his press conference following the decision, Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged that inflation has reduced substantially but remains too high and rate-cut expectations have been pushed out due to slower-than-expected progress in bringing rate growth to the central bank's 2% goal.

I think the primary takeaway will be that the market was most likely expecting the Fed to shift the dot plot from 3 cuts to two cuts, Mayfield included. Instead it was moved from 3 cuts to one cut, which on margin is a hawkish surprise.

Still, monetary markets are pricing in a 61.5% probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut in September, up from 46.8% on Tuesday, according to CME's FedWatch tool.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 30.69 points, or 0.08%, to 38,778.11, the S&P 500 acquired 58.74 points, or 1.09%, to 5,434.06 and the Nasdaq Composite added 326.91 points, or 1.88%, to 17,670.45.

European shares closed dramatically greater after the CPI report and prior to the Fed's rate choice.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 1.08% and MSCI's gauge of stocks around the world gained 1.07%.

Emerging-market stocks rose 0.45%. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan closed 0.57%. higher, while Japan's Nikkei lost 0.66%.

U.S. Treasury yields moved after the information, but retraced a bit. after the SEP release.

U.S. benchmark 10-year Treasury notes last increased. 25/32 in price to yield 4.3044%, from 4.402% late on Tuesday.

The 30-year bond last increased 42/32 in cost to. yield 4.4556%, from 4.535% late on Tuesday.

The dollar pared its losses versus a basket of world. currencies after the reserve bank cut its 2024 rate-cut. expectations.

The dollar index fell 0.53%, with the euro up. 0.69% to $1.0813.

The Japanese yen strengthened 0.33% versus the greenback at. 156.61 per dollar, while Sterling was last trading at. $ 1.2811, up 0.56% on the day.

Oil rates advanced, supported by simmering stress in the. Middle East, and by projections that global stocks will fall. in the latter half of the year.

U.S. crude increased 0.77% to settle at $78.50 per. barrel, while Brent settled at $82.60, up 0.83% on the. day.

Gold made headway however lost some shine in the wake of the. Fed's policy statement and updated financial projections.

Spot gold added 0.3% to $2,322.60 an ounce.

(source: Reuters)