Thu Sep 18 10:40:00 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Stock Futures Rise After Fed Rate Cut, Cracker Barrel Plunges on Earnings Miss**

New York, NY – U.S. stock futures surged Wednesday evening as investors processed the Federal Reserve’s latest decision to cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 333 points (0.7%), while S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures both increased by 0.9%.

The positive momentum followed a day of mixed performance on Wednesday, with the Dow closing up 0.57% while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite declined slightly. Fed Chair Jerome Powell tempered expectations of aggressive future rate cuts, characterizing the current move as “risk management,” leading to initial market volatility. While policymakers are predicting two more reductions this year, they are expecting only one in 2026, while traders had priced in two to three more cuts next year.

Analysts interpret the Fed’s measured approach as a response to both a softening labor market and persistent inflation. “This isn’t a pivot, it’s a measured step,” said Gina Bolvin, president at Bolvin Wealth Management Group. “For investors, this means modest rate relief, not fireworks.”

Despite Wednesday’s uneven trading, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are still poised for weekly gains of 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively. The Dow is also on track for its second consecutive week of gains, up 0.4% week-to-date. According to Adam Crisafulli of Vital Knowledge, “bulls are back in control” after the initial market jitters following the Fed announcement.

In company news, shares of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store plummeted over 9% in extended trading after the company reported disappointing fourth-quarter earnings. While revenue exceeded expectations, adjusted earnings of 74 cents per share fell short of the anticipated 80 cents. The company’s full-year revenue guidance also disappointed investors, and same-store traffic is expected to decline between 4% and 7%. This latest drop compounds existing pressure on the stock following a recent rebranding announcement and subsequent return to the original logo.

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