U.S. stocks were higher in choppy trade Friday after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned that the central bank may need to raise interest rates even higher to temper a strong U.S. economy and quell inflation, while assuring investors that policy would proceed cautiously. What’s happening
The Dow Jones Industrial Average
DJIA
was up 163 points, or 0.5%, at 34,265.
The S&P 500
SPX
gained 13 points, or 0.3%, at 4,389.
The Nasdaq Composite
COMP
advanced by 20 points, or 0.2%, to 13,485.
On Thursday, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite saw their biggest daily decline since Aug. 2, according to FactSet data. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell nearly 375 points, its biggest drop since March 22.
What’s driving markets Powell’s message to investors during Friday’s Jackson Hole speech was that inflation is still too high for the Fed’s liking, and it may warrant more interest rate hikes in the not-too-distant future. Whatever happens though, Powell said the Fed will proceed cautiously with a careful eye on incoming economic data. The Fed chief’s comments about the progress made on taming the worst inflationary wave in decades helped inject his speech with a dovish veneer, some analysts said, but his warning about the prospect of more hikes initially helped undermine stocks, which slipped into the red following his speech. Meanwhile, in the Treasury market, 2-year yields edge higher
BX:TMUBMUSD02Y
while 10-year yields
BX:TMUBMUSD10Y
remained subdued, a sign that investors expect Powell to follow through with his promise to cool the economy, said Joe Ferrera, inve …
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