Dow posts 600-point gain Wednesday, stocks jump from bear-market lows

The Dow and S&P 500 snapped a six-session skid on Wednesday as equities rallied sharply and bond yields retreated after the Bank of England took a surprising U-turn with a new plan to buy U.K. government debt. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose about 548 points, or 1.9%, ending near 29,683, ending a six-session decline, according to Dow Jones Market Data. The S&P 500 index advanced 2% and the Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 2.1%. A decision tobuy unlimited amounts of U.K. long-dated government debt came after the pound fell to a record low after last Friday’s U.K. budget announcement which sent bond yields soaring. The Dow entered its first bear market this week since 2020 as investors worried about the Federal Reserve’s aggressive tightening cycle and recession fears.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.