The U.S. stock markets concluded a turbulent session today as investors remained apprehensive ahead of the Federal Reserve's imminent decision on interest rates. The major indices closed lower, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping 0.62% to 41,581.31, the S&P 500 down 1.07% at 5,614.66, and the Nasdaq Composite dropping significantly by 1.71% to 17,504.12. The volatility index, VIX, soared by 5.8%, echoing concerns rippling through the market.

Despite the broad declines, Dow futures showed a positive shift in after-hours trading, rising 0.12%. S&P and Nasdaq futures followed suit, gaining 0.20% and 0.34%, respectively, indicating cautious optimism. On the corporate front, Meta Platforms plunged 3.73%, while Tesla tumbled 5.34%, reflecting investor unease in the tech sector.

In contrast, European markets portrayed a brighter picture, with Germany's DAX rising 0.98% and Spain's IBEX 35 climbing 1.58%. Asian stocks also displayed strength with India's SENSEX surging 1.53%, buoyed by domestic economic confidence.

On the commodities front, crude oil edged down 0.27% to $66.72 a barrel, while gold was marginally down. In the cryptocurrency space, Bitcoin inched up 0.16%.

As the world waits for the Fed's next move, market participants are poised for a potential shift in sentiment. These 14 companies survived and thrived after COVID and have the right ingredients to survive Trump's tariffs. Discover why before your portfolio feels the trade war pinch.

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Simply Wall St analyst Simply Wall St and Simply Wall St have no position in any of the companies mentioned. This article is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.