The stock market reaction Wednesday to Republican Donald Trump's victory over Democrat Kamala Harris was swift and powerful, sending the Dow, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to all-time highs. The Fed rate cut the next day was icing on the cake for market bulls,

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq jumped to a fresh record high on Thursday after the Fed delivered a 25 basis point rate cut.

Short-term U.S. interest rates are likely to be lower on Inauguration Day in 2025 than they are on Election Day, and that means the U.S. Federal Reserve almost certainly will continue to cut the benchmark federal funds rate — not just this week but at its December meeting as well.