SPX: Fed`s game of markets

Markets were happy prior to Fed's rate cut in December in expectation of an additional drop of 25 bps of reference interest rates. However, Fed Chair Powell said something that markets did not expect to hear - inflation is going to be persistent in 2025, hence, Fed would most likely cut rates by only 50 bps during the next year. The correction was immediate, and the S&P 500 dropped from the level of 6,080 down to 5.867. The index recovered a bit during Friday's trading session to the level of 5.930, after cooling inflation data.

All sectors included in the S&P 500 gained on Friday, indicating that the market most probably overreacted during the previous two days. Still, this jump in the market value was not enough to cover weekly losses. A cooling inflation data for November made markets revise their initial projections and value equities at higher levels. Still, considering that the Holiday season in Western markets starts in the middle of the week ahead, it is questionable whether the S&P 500 has the strength to reach for one more time level from two weeks ago.