The US market: overview and forecast for February 22. The phenomenal power of Nvidia

Trading on February 21 on American stock exchanges showed mixed dynamics. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones gained 0.13% and 0.12%, while the NASDAQ 100 and Russell 2000 lost 0.32% and 0.47%, respectively. Markets closed near the best levels of the day, rallying in the last minutes, probably hoping for a great report from Nvidia.

The leading manufacturer of chips and GPUs has once again outstripped analysts' high expectations. NVDA's share price gained more than 9% after the end of trading, recouping losses incurred at the beginning of the week due to partial fixation of positions by investors before the report. The topic of AI and chips remains in the spotlight, and shares of beneficiary companies may show growth again.

The publication of "minutes" from the last FOMC meeting did not come as a revelation to the market and confirmed that most officials express concerns about the risks of too early rate cuts. It is worth noting that the minutes from the January meeting are partly outdated in light of the latest statistics on the labor market and inflation, as well as fairly consistent statements by Fed members emphasizing the need for greater confidence before lowering rates.