Federal Open Market Committee

August dawns with focus on earnings as mega-cap tech companies continue to report even as market leadership appears to be shifting. Meanwhile, the Fed's Jackson Hole symposium late in the month could help set tone as yields remain near recent peaks.

In a unanimous decision, Federal Reserve policymakers raised the federal funds rate to 5.5%, the highest point since 2001.

After a first-half stock market rally driven mainly by some of the largest tech stocks, one question entering July is whether other sectors can show more strength. Meanwhile, Treasury yields are up, representing a possible speed bump, and Q2 earnings season looms along with a Fed meeting.

With unanimity, the Federal Open Market Committee held the federal funds rate in its current range, but updated projections suggest this rate-hike cycle is not yet over.

The Fed provides a quarterly “dot plot” with its monetary policy projections for the next several years that can help investors glean the Fed’s thinking about the future.

The Federal Reserve responded to last week’s hotter-than-expected CPI report and colder-than-expected consumer sentiment report by raising the overnight rate 75 basis points.

Treasury rates can be thought of as the backbone of the global economy. You can use the yield curve, which is a measure of interest rate expectations, to get an idea of economic conditions and trends.

Our chief market strategist breaks down the day's top business stories and offers insight on how they might impact your trading and investing.

What is the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA)? It’s a price-weighted index of 30 large stocks, and it’s considered one of the major U.S. equity benchmarks.

Learn about the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the U.S.—its makeup, policies, dual mandate of full employment and monetary stability, and the importance of Fed meetings.