The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 631.21 points to 51,461.90, leaving the index 5.3% below its record peak. The S&P 500 fell 0.45% to 7,551.81, while the Nasdaq Composite barely held its ground, closing down 0.01% at 25,978.42. Market volatility surged during Chairman Kevin Warsh’s post-meeting press conference, where he declined to provide a concrete roadmap for future hikes.

Allyson Heumann, a professor at Tulane University's Freeman School of Business, noted that the lack of clarity has forced the bond market to forecast its own trajectory. While 12 of the 18 Fed officials expect at least one additional hike by year-end, the uncertainty is already rippling through the economy. Mortgage rates have climbed above 7%, contributing to a sharp decline in homebuilder confidence, while high diesel prices threaten to keep consumer costs elevated regardless of monetary policy.

Outside of the central bank's influence, corporate activity remained in focus. OpenAI is exploring a funding round that could push its valuation past $1.2 trillion, while Novo Nordisk shares dipped 1.9% following a partnership with Anthropic to integrate the Claude AI model into its drug development pipeline. Meanwhile, oil futures retreated 3.2% to $102.43 as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East showed signs of cooling.