Equity markets rebounded on Wednesday, bolstered by the FOMC policy decision. The FOMC held rates steady as expected and made little to no change in the statement. The most glaring change is the outlook on economic growth, which was upgraded. The committee says the economy expanded rapidly, ultimately bad news for stocks. With economic activity still robust and potentially accelerating, the odds that inflation will recede to 2% soon are dwindling. In this scenario, the FOMC may not hike rates again this cycle, but the first interest rate cut is a long way off.

The S&P 500 gained over 1% on Wednesday, extending the rebound to 3 days. The caveat is that this move is a relief rally within a downtrend and below critical resistance. If the market can not extend the rally on Thursday, there is a chance the sell-off will resume. In this scenario, it doesn't matter what the Fed does now, only the impact on earnings and the outlook for S&P 500 earnings growth.