Wall Street Soars to New Heights After Fed Rate Cut

U.S. stock markets closed the week on a high note, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 setting fresh record highs on Friday, September 19, 2025, fueled by the Federal Reserve’s recent quarter-point interest rate cut. The Dow climbed 172.85 points, or 0.37%, to 46,315.27, while the S&P 500 rose 0.49% to 6,664.36, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.72%, ending at 22,631.48.

Despite a slight 0.7% dip in the small-cap Russell 2000, the index still marked its seventh consecutive weekly gain, up 2.2% for the week. Standout performers included Apple, which surged 3.2% as its latest iPhone hit stores globally, and Tesla, up over 2.2%. The Fed’s first rate cut since December, described by Chair Jerome Powell as a “risk management cut,” sparked some volatility but ultimately bolstered investor confidence.

This year’s market has defied historical September pullbacks, climbing 35% since March with strong technical and fundamental tailwinds. Meanwhile, gold futures rose 0.3%, eyeing a fifth straight weekly gain, and the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF hit an all-time high, surpassing its 2017 peak with a 5% jump. As markets navigate this non-recessionary Fed easing cycle, analysts see further upside driven by AI, earnings, and consumption, though a period of consolidation may loom as the S&P 500 trades at 22x forward earnings.