Wall Street Rises Slightly, Markets Hold Ahead of the Fed
US stocks edged higher on Monday (January 26th), as investors prepared for a crucial week filled with a Federal Reserve policy meeting and a wave of major corporate earnings reports, amidst still-high geopolitical tensions.
At 9:34 a.m. US time (14:34 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 40 points, or 0.1%, the S&P 500 gained 18 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite added 20 points, or 0.1%.
The main focus this week is the Fed's two-day policy meeting ending Wednesday. The market widely expects the central bank to hold interest rates, following three consecutive cuts at its last meetings. Investors will be waiting for clues on the next direction: whether the Fed signals further cuts or wants a longer pause.
Another focus comes from political tensions surrounding the Fed. The feud between President Donald Trump and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has rekindled concerns about the central bank's independence from political pressure.
Powell also mentioned that the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation into him—which he considered politically motivated—while he was scheduled to step down as chairman in May, and Trump was expected to announce his replacement soon. (yds)
Source: Newsmaker.id
