The US S&P 500 index rose to a record closing high on Tuesday, driven by earnings season nearing its end, the upcoming release of the Federal Reserve’s January policy meeting minutes, and geopolitical uncertainties. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.02% while the Nasdaq Composite increased 0.07%. Intel jumped 16.1% after reports suggested rivals Broadcom and TSMC were considering a potential deal to split the chipmaker.
Constellation Brands rose 4% following Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway disclosing a new investment in the company. However, Meta Platforms slid 2.8%, snapping its 20-session winning streak. Analysts currently expect fourth-quarter S&P 500 earnings growth of 15.3%.
The Federal Reserve minutes will be released on Wednesday, providing insight into the central bank’s path forward amidst signs of inflation rebound and President Trump’s threatened tariffs. Market strategist Ryan Detrick said, “There’s a little bit of a three-day weekend hangover today… But when you put it all together, you have a day like today where it’s just kind of ‘wait-and-see.'”
Source: https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/futures-inch-up-holiday-thinned-week-focus-feds-rate-cut-plans-2025-02-18