Stocks closed higher for a fourth consecutive session Thursday as investors took the Federal Reserve's Wednesday policy statement and subsequent words from Fed Chair Jerome Powell as signs the central bank is done hiking interest rates.
The Fed yesterday held rates steady for a second straight meeting. After the policy statement, Powell said in his presser that the committee is "not confident" that it's done enough to bring down inflation, but that it's also "not confident" that it hasn't done enough. Many interpreted this as an indication that there will be no more rate hikes. According to CME Group, futures traders are now pricing in an 80% chance the Fed will keep rates unchanged at its next meeting in December – up from 54% one month ago.
