The Fed was widely expected to give investors a holiday gift today–a 25 basis point rate cut. Lower interest rates are a boon to banks since they make it cheaper for them to lend overnight, also providing a boost to the economy. Prices of riskier assets, such as stocks, also jump in value. The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, the Dow rose 242 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq was flat, erasing earlier losses. Heading into the 2 p.m. ET decision, the S&P 500, the market's benchmark, was in wait-and-see mode. Stocks rise aft ...