Stocks surge to record highs on Fed rate hopes

US stock markets surge as Dow adds 463 points and S&P 500 hits record high amid hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts

Published

6 months ago

August 14, 2025

Ahron Young

US stock markets surge as Dow adds 463 points and S&P 500 hits record high amid hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts

In Short:
– Stocks rose to all-time highs due to expectations of lower U.S. Federal Reserve rates.
– Small companies gained from interest rates, with the Russell 2000 index increasing by 2%.

Stocks rose on Wednesday, with major indexes reaching all-time highs due to expectations for lower U.S. Federal Reserve rates.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 463.66 points to 44,922.27, and the S&P 500 finished up 0.32% at 6,466.58.

The Nasdaq Composite also gained, closing at 21,713.14.

Tech stocks led the gains, with AMD rising 5.4% and Apple up 1.6%.

Paramount Skydance shares surged by 36.7%. Positive sentiment followed a recent inflation report, sparking optimism that the Fed may cut rates in September.

Investment strategist Ross Mayfield noted a strong second-quarter earnings season contributing to market momentum.

As earnings reports wane, activity is set to increase next week with major retail companies reporting.

Small Caps

Investors shifted focus away from large stocks to smaller companies, benefiting from lower interest rates.

The Russell 2000 index saw a 2% gain.

The upcoming producer price index report on wholesale inflation is anticipated to influence economic outlooks before the Fed’s Jackson Hole meeting later this month.

U.S. dollar weakens while Australian dollar rises amid global market shifts

Published

2 days ago

January 30, 2026

Harvey Vargas

US dollar weakens as Trump comments; Australian dollar gains from commodity prices and RBA rate hike expectations

The US dollar is coming under pressure as the economy remains strong and President Trump comments on its decline. We explore how this is impacting major currencies around the world and what it means for investors.

Meanwhile, the Australian dollar is benefiting from rising commodity prices and growing expectations of an RBA rate hike. Global investors are increasingly drawn to Australia’s bond market as economic conditions shift.

Currency trading strategies are adapting to this changing landscape, with potential implications for interest rates and international markets. Steve Gopalan from SkandaFX breaks down the trends.

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#USDDollar #AustralianDollar #ForexTrading #RBA #InterestRates #GlobalEconomy #CurrencyMarket #Ticker

Money

Wall Street slides as AI spending raises investor concerns

Wall Street dips as AI spending scrutiny rises; Microsoft struggles while Meta thrives. Tune in for insights!

Published

2 days ago

January 30, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Wall Street dips as AI spending scrutiny rises; Microsoft struggles while Meta thrives.

Wall Street closed lower on Thursday, with the Nasdaq leading losses as investors questioned whether Big Tech’s massive AI spending will pay off. Microsoft shares tumbled after revealing record AI infrastructure costs, while Meta rallied on strong earnings and a bullish outlook.

Kyle Rodda from Capital.com joins us to explain what spooked markets, which tech names are holding up, and whether AI budgets are getting too big.

We also discuss rate expectations, macro risks, and what to watch in the upcoming earnings season.

Subscribe to never miss an episode of Ticker – https://www.youtube.com/@weareticker

Money

Tesla brand value plummets amid Elon Musk’s political focus

Tesla’s brand value plummeted to $27.61 billion in 2025 amid Musk’s political shift, sparking investor concern.

Published

4 days ago

January 28, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Tesla’s brand value plummeted to $27.61 billion in 2025 amid Musk’s political shift, sparking investor concern.

Tesla’s brand value plummeted by $15.4 billion in 2025, falling to $27.61 billion from $66.2 billion in early 2023. Analysts say Elon Musk’s political focus and a slowdown in new models have distracted the company’s core business.

In the U.S., Tesla’s recommendation score sank to just 4 out of 10, down from 8.2 in 2023. Despite this, loyalty among existing owners remains high at 92 per cent, showing a strong but shrinking fan base.

#TeslaNews #ElonMusk #BrandValue