Finance

The central bank released minutes from its September policy meeting, highlighting deep divisions among policymakers regarding the logic behind interest rate hikes. Market participants parsed the notes to gauge the likelihood of additional policy tightening later this month. Persistently high oil costs and a resilient economic backdrop have sustained anxieties that the Fed may keep borrowing costs elevated for longer.

Crude oil futures traded higher on Wednesday, with international benchmark Brent crude settling near the $100 per barrel mark. Fresh anxieties arose following geopolitical disturbances, including Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and ongoing shipping threats in the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts note that energy markets remain highly sensitive to prospective supply disruptions in the Middle East despite recent improvements in overall output physical volumes.

Shares of Space Exploration Technologies experienced downward pressure following reports of a significant fundraising initiative. The aerospace company is reportedly attempting to secure $40 billion in financing to fund large-scale chip purchases from Nvidia. This strategic move highlights the substantial capital demands facing major tech firms as they scale their computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence.