Wall Street's "fear gauge" was rising on Wednesday ahead of the Federal Reserve's final rate decision of the year. The Cboe Volatility Index, or "VIX," was up 2.6% to 17.34, according to FactSet. The index is a gauge of expected volatility in the the stock market over a 30-day time horizon.

Wall Street forecasters expect the stock market to grind higher in 2026 as earnings grow, the Fed cuts rates, and the US avoids a recession.

The valuations of some artificial intelligence companies are approaching those of the dot-com boom. But investors worry that pulling money from today’s market risks future gains.

As widely expected, the Federal Open Market Committee reduced its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday, its third straight cut.

As the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones Industrial Average have climbed to never-before-seen levels, stock valuations are attempting to follow suit. Wall Street appears set to enter the new year with the second priciest stock market on record -- and history offers investors a dire warning of what's to come.

The S&P 500 inched up by 0.1% and is just 0.5% below its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 31 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%.

In a surprising turn of events, Wall Street has made a significant move into the cryptocurrency space with a massive

Wall Street ended Tuesday’s session mixed after a largely subdued day of trading, as investors now turn their focus to the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy meeting. The tech focused Nasdaq Composite (COMP:IND) was able to inch out an advance of 0.