Federal Reserve implemented a 25bp rate hike; US major indices closed lower on Wednesday. Dow fell 1.2%, S&P 500 down 0.44%, Nasdaq down 0.01%. Intel rose 4%, SpaceX gained 5%, while Goldman Sachs and Boeing slid nearly 4% each. Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index fell 0.55%; iQIYI jumped 8%, Alibaba dropped 2%.

A 2021 Federal Reserve study covering the Bernanke, Yellen and Powell eras found FOMC press conferences averaged about 54 minutes total, with roughly 10 minutes of opening remarks, about 44 minutes of media Q&A and an average of ~22 questions including follow-ups. A separate Fed study noted press conferences that begin ~30 minutes after the FOMC statement typically run about one hour. Wash's first press conference after taking office in 2026 lasted about 42 minutes; his latest in September ran roughly 28 minutes.

European equities opened higher on Sept 17 (Thursday). Germany's DAX 30 rose 92.62 points, or 0.36%, to 25,651.50; the UK's FTSE 100 gained 38.78 points, or 0.36%, to 10,727.25; the STOXX Europe 50 increased 31.55 points, or 0.50%, to 6,298.05; Spain's IBEX 35 added 66.50 points, or 0.34%, to 19,702.30; Italy's FTSE MIB climbed 167.38 points, or 0.32%, to 52,136.50; France's CAC 40 rose 38.59 points, or 0.47%, to 8,179.18.