Dow Jones, Nasdaq Futures Gain Ahead Of Powell's Last Speech As Fed Chair— Robinhood, Starbucks, Alphabet In Focus

U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, following Tuesday’s lower close. Futures of the major benchmark indices were higher.Investors will be closely watching the Federal Reserve’s decision to gauge how the central bank is navigating interest rates amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran war. Additionally, Jerome Powell's press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET is widely considered to be his last as Chair of the Fed.The CME Group's FedWatch tool‘s projections show markets pricing a 100% likelihood of the Federal Reserve leaving the current interest rates unchanged in today’s meeting.Four out of seven ‘Magnificent 7’ heavyweights will announce their earnings results today after the bell, which include Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META).Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.36%, and the two-year bond yield was at 3.85%.The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ), which track the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, respectively, were higher in premarket on Wednesday. The SPY was up 0.063% at $712.14, while the QQQ advanced 0.21% to $658.90.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------🌐 Find more market-moving insights at https://www.benzinga.com — your one-stop destination for the latest financial news, data, and expert analysis to stay ahead of the markets.📲 Follow us on socials @benzinga------------------------------------------------------------------------------------⚠️ Disclaimer:Investing in financial markets carries risk, and there are no guaranteed returns. All information is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as financial advice. Always do your own research and speak with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Only invest what you can afford to lose. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes.