There are no Dow stocks hitting 52 week highs. There are no Dow stock 52 week lows.

The Market

Premarket today, the Dow was indicated to open up +196 points.

Wednesday the Dow closed up +338.48 (+1.00%) at 34,258.32.

Year-to-date the Dow is up +11.93%.

There were 25 Dow stocks up Wednesday.

The Dow stock winners Wednesday were led by Boeing (BA) 216.98 (+4.06%), Chevron (CVX) 97.64 (+2.94%) and American Express (AXP) 167.49 (+2.58%).

The Dow stock losers Wednesday were led by UnitedHealth (UNH) 408.70 (-0.88%), Amgen (AMGN) 213.64 (-0.80%) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) 163.93 (-0.36%).

Yesterday, the Dow took comfort in signaling from the Federal Reserve that it had no immediate intentions of removing U.S. monetary stimulus policies. The Fed’s forecasts decreased numbers for U.S. growth, increased inflation expectations and pushed up the timing for an interest rate hike. The Federal Open Market Committee now sees gross domestic product rising just 5.9% this year. Core inflation is projected to increase 3.7% this year. Against that backdrop, the Fed left near-zero interest rates unchanged Wednesday afternoon. But most members now see the first rate increase in 2022. The Fed gave no timetable for tapering its bond purchases. However, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said during his post-meeting news conference that if the recovery remains on track, “a gradual tapering process that concludes around the middle of next year is likely to be appropriate.”

The U.S. government’s weekly look at initial jobless claims unexpectedly rose to 351,000. Economists had expected a decline in new claims for week ended Sept. 18 to 320,000, near Covid pandemic lows. The prior week was revised higher to 335,000.

The CDC may vote Thursday on the FDA’s decision to authorize a Pfizer Covid booster shot for people 65 and older as well as other vulnerable Americans six months after they complete their first two doses. If the CDC approves, booster shots for those groups could begin immediately.

US futures are higher, European stocks are mostly higher and Asian markets ended mostly higher.

The national average price of gasoline is down one-tenth of a cent at $3.189 per gallon.

Earnings Reports

Nike (NKE) reports earnings on 9/23/2021 after the market close.

Today’s Featured Dow Stock

Disney (DIS)

Disney (DIS) 173.65 (+1.45%%) is down -4.16% in 2021.

Financial Calendar

8:30 AM ET Jobless Claims

8:30 AM ET Chicago Fed National Activity Index

9:45 AM ET PMI Composite Flash

10:00 AM ET Leading Indicators

10:30 AM ET EIA Natural Gas Report

11:00 AM ET Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Index

11:00 AM ET 3-Month Bill Announcement

11:00 AM ET 6-Month Bill Announcement

11:00 AM ET 2-Yr Note Announcement

11:00 AM ET 5-Yr Note Announcement

11:00 AM ET 7-Yr Note Announcement

11:30 AM ET 4-Week Bill Auction

11:30 AM ET 8-Week Bill Auction

1:00 PM ET 10-Yr TIPS Auction

4:30 PM ET Fed Balance Sheet