US stocks were mixed on Wednesday as the risk of a Google breakup prompted a pause for thought in the wait for more Federal Reserve clues to the chances of a “soft landing.”
The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) fell about 0.2% while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) hovered near the flat line. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) was the leader in early trading action, rising nearly 0.3%.
Stocks have whipsawed this week amid intense debate over the state of the economy now the Fed has finally eased up on policy. Its decision to cut by a jumbo 50 basis points raised concerns it might see risks the market could not. That has investors wondering about a “no landing,” where the economy keeps growing and inflation risks once again emerge.
Minutes from the Fed’s September meeting, due later on Wednesday, will be scoured for clues — especially as to why one policymaker dissented on the size of the cut.
Read more: What the Fed rate cut means for bank accounts, CDs, loans, and credit cards
Meanwhile, investors are absorbing news that the DOJ is considering asking a judge to force Google to sell off key businesses to remedy its monopoly position. Shares of owner Alphabet (GOOG) slipped in early trading, after rising in a broader tech rebound that fueled Tuesday’s solid gains.
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