Tech Lifts US Stocks, But Market Remains Cautious
Wall Street edged higher on Wednesday (February 18th), extending its recovery after last week's turmoil. The gains were led by major technology stocks as market participants weighed the release of the FOMC meeting minutes—a document that could change the market's interpretation of the interest rate path.
At the close, the S&P 500 rose about 0.6%, the Nasdaq rose about 1.0%, and the Dow Jones added about 0.2%. These gains remain relatively modest, but enough to keep the market's mood positive ahead of the next policy announcement.
Nvidia shares were once again the star of the show, rising about 1.52% in recent trading, extending support from news of its chip needs for AI data center projects.
Sentiment in mega-cap stocks was also helped by Amazon, which rose about 2.03%, while shares of chipmaker Micron surged about 4.70%—reflecting a return to selective market interest in higher-risk names while the interest rate outlook remains uncertain.
Despite the index's gains, the market hasn't fully "all-in." The main focus remains on the minutes: whether the Fed appears comfortable holding interest rates for longer, or begins to open up room for easing if inflation truly declines—two scenarios that could quickly change the direction of the dollar, yields, and tech stock valuations.
Source: Newsmaker.id
