Overview

• The Dow closed up 124.10 points at 46,142.42, with the Nasdaq at 22,470.73, as all three major U.S. indexes set new closing highs on Sept. 18.
• The FOMC cut its policy rate by 0.25 percentage point and signaled roughly another 0.5 percentage point of reductions by year‑end.
• Chip shares outperformed after NVIDIA said it would invest in Intel, concentrating buying across semiconductor names.
• U.S. initial jobless claims came in below expectations, supporting dollar strength and pushing the yen into the low ¥148 per dollar range.
• Tokyo stocks opened sharply higher, with the Nikkei at 45,750.81 around 9:15 a.m., as the Bank of Japan published October reference and reporting rates that set dollar‑yen at ¥148.