5 things to know before the stock market opens on Thursday, September 19 | Real Time Headlines

Here are five key things investors need to know when starting their trading day:

Stocks were volatile on Wednesday as investors weighed the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision. Market watchers initially welcomed the sharp 50 basis point rate cut, but it also raised concerns that the Fed was trying to act ahead of potential economic weakness. Dow Jones Industrial Average It closed down 103.08 points, or 0.25%, after rising as much as 375.79 points after the announcement of the Federal Reserve’s decision. this S&P 500 Index It fell 0.29% after hitting a record high in early trading, while Nasdaq Index down 0.31%. Stocks still fell as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell sought to allay concerns about the central bank’s impact on the economy. Follow real-time market updates.

Fed cuts interest rates Its key overnight borrowing rate For the first time since 2008, during the global financial crisis, it was half a percentage point, or 50 basis points. This is first interest rate cut Since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, the federal funds rate has fallen to a range of 4.75% to 5%. The decision was not unanimous, with Fed Governor Michelle Bowman supporting a quarter-point rate hike rather than the more aggressive half-point rate hike. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said in Wednesday’s decision that the Fed is “working toward a situation that restores price stability without the painful rise in unemployment that sometimes comes with inflation.” Fed member forecasts They will lower interest rates by another half percentage point before the end of the year.

boeing company will start Tens of thousands of people forced to take furloughs Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg said in a memo on Wednesday that this involves U.S. executives, managers and other employees. The company is racing to cut costs in response to an ongoing strike by more than 30,000 mechanics. Affected employees will be furloughed one week every four weeks as long as the strike continues, the memo said. Meanwhile, Ortberg and other executives on his team will take pay cuts “correspondingly” during the strike, he said. Negotiations between the company and the union continued this week with the help of mediators, but the union said it was frustrated after Tuesday’s talks.

Amazon yes Increase wages for hourly warehouse workers. The company said Wednesday that the average starting wage for U.S. frontline workers will be more than $22 an hour, up from $20.50 an hour. The company also said that starting early next year, Prime subscriptions will be included in these employees’ benefits plans. The moves come ahead of the busy holiday season, when retailers typically see a surge in online shopping.

The WNBA is booming. League breaks ratings and attendance records this season with new media rights deal disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon Its value is more than three times the value of the previous agreement. The league is still Announcing new franchises Wednesday in Portland, the third team in this expansion round. Yet players’ salaries remain relatively low. Rookie superstar Caitlin Clark, who has contributed to the league’s popularity, is making about $76,000 this year. Many of the league’s most accomplished veterans make around $200,000 a year. Here’s a closer look at why the WNBA is growing so fast and how the league’s economics will change in the coming years.

—CNBC’s Hakyung Kim, Jeff Cox, Leslie Josephs, Annie Palmer and Tala Hadavi contributed to this report.