Yesterday ASX markets rallied into the close to finish on highs.
FMG rallied the troops in song with higher IO prices
U.S. stocks closed higher Wednesday, helped by a bounce in oil prices, after the Federal Reserve took a less aggressive stance than expected. The central bank did raise interest rates, as expected.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed up about 110 points following the statement release. UnitedHealth contributed the most to gains, followed by Johnson & Johnson and Caterpillar.
The Nasdaq 100 hit a fresh intraday high and closed at a record, helped by record highs in Apple shares. Semiconductor stocks also reversed earlier losses, with the iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF (SOXX)ending nearly 0.8 percent higher.
"Most people were expecting a much more hawkish statement," said Diane Swonk of DS Economics. "The dissent along with the waffling language on inflation, even though the economic language was strong," indicated continuation of gradual policy, she said.
The Fed raised the target range for the federal funds rate to 0.75 percent to 1 percent. Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari had the only "no" vote.
Financial stocks were the only decliner in the S&P 500. The energy sector led advancers, closing up nearly 2.1 percent as oil reversed a seven-day losing streak. U.S. crude oil futures settled up 2.39 percent at $48.86 a barrel after weekly crude inventory data showed a drawdown in stockpiles.
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Gold prices jumped to higher levels on the day in afternoon trading Wednesday, in the immediate aftermath of a U.S. interest rate increase from the Federal Reserve that was fully expected. This price action is a classic example of a “sell the rumor, buy the fact” market reaction to the expected rate hike from the Fed. The past couple weeks had seen gold prices sell off in anticipation of a rate increase from the Fed.
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