Stock Market Today: Dow Gains 522 Points in Fed-Fueled Session
The blue chip index closed above the psychologically significant 42,000 level for the first time ever Thursday.



Joey Solitro
Stocks jumped out of the gate Thursday and never looked back as investors belatedly cheered the Federal Reserve's jumbo-sized rate cut from the day before.
At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1.3% at 42,025 and the S&P 500 had gained 1.7% to 5,713 – new record closes. The Nasdaq Composite, meanwhile, rose 2.5% to 18,013, but remains about 3% off of its all-time closing high of 18,647.45 from mid-July.
The Fed caught most of Wall Street off-guard Wednesday when it lowered the federal funds rate by a half-percentage point – more than the quarter-percentage point many folks were anticipating.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Concerns that this was done because the economy is worse off than we think sparked a late-day reversal for stocks yesterday. However, these worries were quickly brushed aside today thanks in part to an encouraging update on the labor market.
Specifically, the Labor Department said this morning that initial jobless claims fell by 12,000 last week to 219,000.
Existing home sales slide in August
Elsewhere on the economic calendar, data from the National Association of Realtors showed existing home sales declined 2.5% in August from the month prior, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.86 million. Year-over-year, sales were down 4.2%.
"Despite the overall economy holding up, the interest-sensitive housing market continues to take a beating," says Priscilla Thiagamoorthy, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets. "While mortgage rates are now well below the near 8%-peak, many potential buyers remain reluctant to make a purchase until costs come down further amid the poorest affordability in decades."
Darden pops on Uber delivery deal
In single-stock news, Darden Restaurants (DRI) stock rallied 8.3% after the Olive Garden parent announced a new food delivery partnership with Uber Technologies (UBER, +2.4%). This helped offset the company's top- and bottom-line fiscal Q1 earnings miss.
"We like DRI's partnership with UBER to introduce on-demand delivery, with Olive Garden as the first pilot to expand its reach and exposure to its customers," says CFRA Research analyst Shreya Gheewala. However, she maintained a Hold rating on the consumer discretionary stock amid expectations for "limited upside potential for DRI given ongoing macroeconomic headwinds and inflationary pressures."
Alibaba rises after releasing open-source AI models
Alibaba Holdings (BABA) stock increased 4.8% after the Chinese e-commerce giant announced the release of more than 100 AI models and a new text-to-video tool.
Today's gains extend BABA's rally, with shares up 23% since late June. And Jefferies analyst Thomas Chong (Buy) thinks there's more room to run.
"Alibaba has multiple growth drivers in the years ahead, in our view, with its core marketplace a strong cash cow that enjoys secular growth momentum amid consumption upgrade in China, thanks to solid execution and technological strength in digitalizing the retail sector with enhanced efficiencies," he wrote in a note to clients.
AMD stock has its best day in six months
Amazon.com (AMZN) stock rose 1.9% after the e-commerce powerhouse announced a pay hike for front-line workers and the inclusion of Amazon Prime as a benefit. However, the rise in the Dow Jones stock was more likely associated with overall optimism in the market surrounding the Fed's rate cut announcement.
The excitement surrounding the Fed certainly fueled upside for several stocks, including a number of chipmakers. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), for one, surged 5.7% – its best day since February 29, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
The semiconductor stock is up more than 50% in the past 12 months and Wall Street sees even bigger gains ahead. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, analysts' average price target of $186.91 represents implied upside of nearly 20% to current levels. Plus, the consensus recommendation is Buy, and with strong conviction.
Related content
- New Phones Get All the Hype, but Consumers Still Love Old Models
- How Interest Rates Impact Stock Prices
- Should We Worry About the Slowing U.S. Economy
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

With over a decade of experience writing about the stock market, Karee Venema is the senior investing editor at Kiplinger.com. She joined the publication in April 2021 after 10 years of working as an investing writer and columnist at a local investment research firm. In her previous role, Karee focused primarily on options trading, as well as technical, fundamental and sentiment analysis.
- Joey SolitroContributor
-
Is Your Social Security Earnings Record Wrong? Here's How to Fix It
Your Social Security benefits are based on your Social Security earnings record. It's important to review your records to avoid having your benefits reduced.
-
Stock Market Today: Markets Discount Another U.S. Downgrade
After Friday's closing bell, Moody's followed Standard & Poor's and Fitch and cut its rating on U.S. government debt.
-
Stock Market Today: Markets Discount Another U.S. Downgrade
After Friday's closing bell, Moody's followed Standard & Poor's and Fitch and cut its rating on U.S. government debt.
-
Donating Complex Assets Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
If you're looking to donate less-conventional assets but don't know where to start, this charity executive has answers, such as considering a donor-advised fund (DAF) for its tax benefits and ease of use.
-
What's Next for Stocks After a Chaotic Spring
A chaotic tariff policy buffets investors looking for clarity on the economy and inflation.
-
Think a Repeal of the Estate Tax Wouldn't Affect You? Wrong
The wording of any law that repeals or otherwise changes the federal estate tax could have an impact on all of us. Here's what you need to know, courtesy of an estate planning and tax attorney.
-
In Your 50s? We Need to Talk About Long-Term Care
Many people don't like thinking about long-term care, but most people will need it. This financial professional recommends planning for these costs as early as possible to avoid stress later.
-
Where to Invest in an Uncertain Market
In an uncertain market, you can still pocket juicy payouts ranging from 4% to 14%, depending on risk.
-
My First $1 Million: Events Industry CEO, 65, Northern New Jersey
Ever wonder how someone who's made a million dollars or more did it? Kiplinger's My First $1 Million series uncovers the answers.
-
Social Security Pop Quiz: Are You Among the 89% of Americans Who'd Fail?
Shockingly few people have any clue what their Social Security benefits could be. This financial adviser notes it's essential to understand that info and when it might be best to access your benefits.