June 18 – U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, as investors kept a close eye on the Federal Reserve’s upcoming rate decision and shifting signals from the Middle East.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained about 258 points, or 0.6%. The S&P 500 advanced roughly 0.5%, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.6%.
Oil prices slipped more than 1% after Donald Trump told reporters that Iran had expressed interest in reopening talks with Washington. Trump said Tehran was willing to send a delegation and even floated a visit to the White House, calling the move courageous.
Geopolitical concerns had weighed on markets earlier in the week, as conflict between Iran and Israel entered its sixth day. Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of irreparable damage if the U.S. joins the fight, following Trump’s social media post demanding unconditional surrender.
Attention now shifts to the Fed’s policy announcement, due at 2 p.m. ET. While interest rates are widely expected to remain unchanged, traders will scrutinize comments from Chair Jerome Powell and the central bank’s updated rate projections for clues on future moves.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
