US markets continued to edge higher on Wednesday, despite the Federal Reserve's latest minutes suggesting an interest rate hike may come sooner than expected.
The minutes published on Wednesday revealed policymakers "generally agreed" the labour market is showing signs of improvement, despite previous minutes suggesting there is "significant" slack in jobs. The latest minutes state "labor market conditions had moved noticeably closer to those viewed as normal in the longer run," which could prompt an early rate hike. However, the news failed to put downward pressure on US stocks, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones indicies closing up 0.25% and 0.35% respectively. The technology-heavy Nasdaq index slipped slightly, however. The US dollar was ...
To continue reading this article...
Join Professional Adviser for free
- Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
- Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
- Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
- Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
- Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
- Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes