VOA常速英语:道琼斯指数将突破2万点大关，美国投资者备受鼓舞

Wall Street is rejoicing.Following six consecutive weeks of growth, the Dow Jones index continues in uncharted territory.The bottom line: Investors are encouraged, heading into 2017.“There’s a lot of things that are driving it: job numbers are better, unemployment’s low, the economy appears to be getting better.Fed chairwoman Janet Yellen said, ‘We’re getting better, we’re improving.We’re going to raise rates.’The sentiment out there that’s positive.”

Analysts say their optimism on Wall Street is largely driven by the hopethat economic policies in a Donald Trump presidency will boost the economy.Jason Benowitz told VOA’s Jill Malandrino he is optimistic that markets can continue to advance.

“Investors have really zeroed in on three aspects of the Trump policy agenda.These are tax cuts, deregulation, and infrastructure stimulus.And, if enacted, those policies would give a boost to economic growth next year.We would then expect to see corporate earnings accelerate and, under that scenario, we think the market could continue to advance.”

Any risk to markets next year, according to Benowitz, may occur if and when Trump’s policies face resistance in Congress.“They’ll see opposition from the House Freedom Caucus as well as some Democrats in the Senate.And he won’t be able to pass sort of everything he wants, exactly the way he wants it.And some stocks have been bid up pretty dramatically on the hopes of this policy agenda, and,as it begins to run into roadblocks, we could see some reversals from the gains we’ve seen this year.”

The Dow Jones Industrials first hit 10,000 points in 1999.The enthusiasm over the new milestone — 20,000 — is reflective of growth across all U.S. markets.In a research report, the U.S. Equity Strategy team at JP Morgansaid they expect the S&P 500 index of big companies to achieve 2,300 points in the near term.

But as we head into the new year, investors will be watching closely for any uncertainty, on Capitol Hill, and in international markets.

Ramon Taylor, VOA News, New York.