Market Jitters as Powell Warns of Overvalued Equities; Government Shutdown Looms
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's valuation warnings sent tremors through traditional markets, with the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQ) closing lower. Powell's remarks about "fairly highly valued" equity prices and the delicate balance of interest rate policy underscore growing macroeconomic uncertainty.
The specter of a government shutdown compounds market anxieties, with odds jumping to 71% after President TRUMP canceled budget negotiations. A funding impasse over healthcare for undocumented immigrants and transgender medical care threatens the first federal closure since 2019.