Dow Jumps 97 Points After Fed Holds Rates Steady

The Dow gained 97 points Wednesday, staying steady after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates at the target rate range of 3.75%-4%. Chairman Kevin Warsh said the central bank remained focused on “price stability,” while employment overall has been “quite positive." Investors now turn to earnings from Big Tech titans Microsoft (MSFT) and Alphabet (GOOGL), as well September's personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, scheduled tomorrow.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq finished comfortably higher, with all three major indexes now on three-day win streaks. Elsewhere, the Russell 2000 logged its seventh positive session out of eight while the VIX cooled for the third-session in a row. 

• Options bulls target Intel stock ahead of earnings. 
• SharkNinja and 14 others with short squeeze potential.
• Plus, VRT's post-earnings pop; ENPH revisits Covid lows; volatility crush explained.

5 Things to Know Today

1. Six stocks to watch for outsized moves this week.
2. Schaeffer's Velocity Trader: let us find your volatility opportunities.  
3. AI-driven demand highlights VRT beat-and-raise. 
4. Enphase Energy shares crashed at six-year lows.
5. How a volatility crush can impact your trading. 

Crude Reclaims $100 on Geopolitical Jitters

Oil prices rose back above the $100 level while traders grow concerned about tensions escalating in the Middle East as threats are exchanged. December-dated West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures jumped 2.9% to finish at $102.78 a barrel.

Gold prices fell as Middle East escalation jitters spread. December-dated gold futures shed 0.9% to settle at $4,036.50 per ounce.