MARKET SNAPSHOT: Stock Market Retreats As Fed Announces October Start For 'great Unwind'

Dollar jumps 0.7% higher as Federal Reserve says it will start asset next moth

U.S. stock benchmarks mostly retreated Wednesday afternoon as the Federal Reserve announced that, for the first time in nine years, it would start reducing the size of its $4.5 trillion asset portfolio starting in October.

The U.S. central bank kept interest rates unchanged, as widely expected, but said it would start to shrink its balance sheet by $10 billion a month. The start of the asset unwind also places another rate increase before the end of the year by the Fed back on the table, signaling more definitively an end to the easy-money policies in the U.S. and an unprecedented unwind of crisis-era asset purchases that had helped to buoy markets over the past decade.

"Even though this is a slow and deliberate and thoughtful unwind plan, it is not without its potential to rattle markets," said Kristina Hooper, global market strategist at Invesco.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 20 points, or 0.2%, at 22,337, after hitting a fresh intraday record at 22,399.33.

The S&P 500 index was down 8 points, or 0.3%, at 2,597, after briefly touching its own fresh intraday day record at 2,508.85.

The Nasdaq Composite Index , meanwhile, was down a firmer 45 points, or 0.7%, at 6,419.

Meanwhile, 10-year Treasury note yield jumped to 2.27%, compared with 2.23% earlier in the day, with expectations for higher rates and additional monetary tightening via the portfolio decrease, encouraged selling in government bonds, pushing yields, which move in the opposite direction to prices, higher. The dollar, which draws bidders in a higher interest-rate regime, enjoyed a fillip, up 0.7% at 92.475, based on the ICE U.S. Dollar Index , which measures the buck against a half-dozen currencies.

Read:Why stock market investors shouldn't sweat a shrinking Fed balance sheet (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-stock-market-investors-shouldnt-sweat-a-shrinking-fed-balance-sheet-2017-09-19)

A news conference hosted by Chairwoman Janet Yellen was set for 2:30 p.m. Eastern.

Some industry participants have been describing the asset reduction as the "great unwind (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-the-great-central-bank-unwind-could-ignite-the-next-financial-crisis-2017-09-20)" and worrying that it might roil markets. "It is the start of something unknown, it is going to start jitters. It is going to make us tremble," said John Manley, chief equity strategist at Wells Fargo Funds Management.

However, the Fed is aiming to offer as little disruption as possible, he noted.

Several central-bank officials already wanted to start winding down the Fed's portfolio of government securities in July, but the majority wanted to hold until a later date. Traders now expect the FOMC on Wednesday to reveal details on a balance-sheet reduction (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/feds-balance-sheet-unwind-will-be-moment-of-truth-for-financial-markets-2017-09-18) that could start as early as October.

In other economic news on Wednesday, a reading on existing-home sales for August showed that sales dropped for the fourth time in five months as real-estate agents continue to blame a lack of available homes to buy. The National Association of Realtors said existing home sales fell (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/existing-home-sales-fall-in-august-for-the-fourth-time-in-five-months-2017-09-20)1.7% to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.35 million.

See:MarketWatch's economic calendar (http://www.marketwatch.com/economy-politics/calendars/economic).

Stock movers: Shares of General Mills Inc.(GIS) slid 5% after the food company, which brands include Cheerios, Haagen-Dazs and Betty Crocker, missed profit and sales expectations (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/general-mills-stock-tumbles-after-profit-and-sales-miss-2017-09-20).

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALNY) soared 40% after positive results in a late-stage trial (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sanofi-alnylam-report-positive-results-from-late-stage-trial-of-hattr-amyloidosis-treatment-2017-09-20).

Shares of American Outdoor Brands Corp.(AOBC) declined 3.6%, despite reports late Tuesday that President Donald Trump will ease rules on gun exports.

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.(BBBY) slumped more than 14% ahead of the bell after the retailer late on Tuesday released earnings that widely missed forecasts (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bed-bath-beyond-earnings-miss-widely-stock-halted-2017-09-19).

FedEx Corp.(FDX) added 2.2% after the logistics company late Tuesday reported earnings below forecasts (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fedex-shares-down-after-earnings-company-pins-miss-on-cyberattack-hurricane-harvey-2017-09-19), saying the quarter offered "significantly operational challenges" due to a cyberattack and Hurricane Harvey.

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) slipped less than 0.8%, even as the software major late Tuesday increased its dividend to 42 cents a share (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/microsoft-hikes-quarterly-dividend-announces-changes-to-board-of-directors-2017-09-19).

Other markets: Stocks in Europe were mostly higher, although the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ftse-100-edges-up-as-fed-decision-takes-center-stage-2017-09-20)underperformed due to a rise in the pound. Sterling strengthened after U.K. retail sales for August showed a bigger rise than expected (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/uk-retail-sales-rise-faster-than-expected-2017-09-20).

Asian stocks closed mixed (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/asian-markets-press-pause-ahead-of-fed-announcement-2017-09-19) as traders there remained cautious ahead of the Fed call.

Crude-oil prices rose firmly (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/crude-prices-rise-on-signs-of-drop-in-global-inventories-2017-09-20) to $50.81 a barrel, while metals gained across the board, with gold futures trading at around $1,305 an ounce, falling in electronic trade after the Fed announcement. (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-prices-pause-losing-skid-as-fed-signals-awaited-2017-09-20)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 20, 2017 14:31 ET (18:31 GMT)