ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

Treasury chief says Trump's plan is 'working' and his 'economy is delivering for Americans'

Scott Bessent said the Dow at 50,000 signals strong growth and gains for Main Street ahead
PUBLISHED FEB 9, 2026
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Kevin Dietsch)
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Kevin Dietsch)

In a historic moment, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has surpassed 50,000 points for the first time, marking an all-time high. This follows a volatile week in the markets, characterized by a significant rebound and driven by several positive economic indicators. Consumer sentiment unexpectedly improved, contributing to market optimism, while inflation data also surpassed expectations. Analysts noted that a robust combination of factors, including investments in artificial intelligence and a resurgence in manufacturing, is driving market confidence and pushing stock prices higher. 

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaking at the Oval Office (Image source: Getty Images/Photo by Kevin Dietsch)
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Kevin Dietsch)

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed the situation on Fox News' Sunday Morning Features, saying, "We're seeing the industrial sectors under the market hit new highs. And in my 35- 40 years on Wall Street, that tells me—Wall Street is telling you that Main Street is about to prosper. We are seeing a big cyclical recovery. The president's agenda set the table in 2025, and now the American people are going to benefit in 2026. And that's what the stock market is telling us. The stock market lives in the future, and I think we're going to have very strong economic growth, very strong job gains, and very strong real income growth." He also predicted that Americans will gain "substantial refunds" from Trump's policies this year. "The president's plan is working. The Trump economy is delivering for the American people." 

Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Kevin Dietsch
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and President Donald Trump ( Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Kevin Dietsch) 

Bessent had earlier highlighted the successes of the Trump economy during the recent Senate hearing, noting strong growth and decreasing inflation, which is currently at 2.1%, close to the Federal Reserve's target. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both saw 2% and 2.2% increases, respectively, while the Dow ended the day at 50,015.67, up 2.3%. President Trump has credited his tariffs, which are at their highest levels since 1935, with helping the stock market reach historic highs. On social media, he conveyed his appreciation for the tariffs, saying they improved financial and national security. Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that even if the president's trade ideas are tough and could result in increased tariffs on different trading partners, many investors reject them.

The New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on January 22, 2025. Stocks saw an upward swing opening up high after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, and Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison made an announcement alongside President Trump that they will create a new company, called Stargate, to grow artificial intelligence infrastructure in the U.S. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Michael M. Santiago)
New York Stock Exchange (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Michael M. Santiago)

"The Dow Jones Industrial Average just hit 50,000 for the first time in History. CONGRATULATIONS AMERICA!" Trump posted on his Truth Social page as he celebrated the recent stock victory. He noted in another post, "The ‘Experts’ said that if I hit 50,000 on the Dow by the end of my Term, I would have done a great job, but I hit 50,000 today, three years ahead of schedule — Remember that for the Midterms, because the Democrats will CRASH the Economy!" Fox News Digital reported. 

(Cover Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Joe Raedle)
President Donald Trump (Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Joe Raedle)

Chip stocks saw a sharp boost due to Amazon and Alphabet's increased investment in AI data centers. Shares of Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom increased by more than 7%, but Amazon's stock fell by about 7% when the company revealed a significant rise in capital expenditures. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq saw losses for three days, but overall market mood improved thanks to the University of Michigan's optimistic inflation expectations report. That said, worries about competition impacting margins and exorbitant valuations led to stock drops in several software companies. Nine out of the eleven S&P 500 sector indexes had gains, with information technology seeing the largest increase at almost 3.7%.

More on Market Realist 

A rare stock market pattern just appeared — it has happened only twice in 153 years

Experts at Bank of America think we’re in a 'run-it-hot' economy — and these stocks stand out

Last year wasn’t great for American stocks — Deutsche Bank says that may not change in 2026

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
AI adoption is accelerating, but hidden risks could cost companies dearly.
29 minutes ago
The job growth was mostly driven by the healthcare and social assistance sector.
3 hours ago
Pressure from the government and consumers choices have forced this decision.
1 day ago
She took her time to secure the big prize, drawing a loud cheer from the audience.
1 day ago
The billionaire also predicted that other companies would follow suit in the future.
2 days ago
His comments have led to several Americans calling him out for not reducing beef prices.
2 days ago
Billionaires grew their wealth by an incredible 22% in the last year as regular Americans struggled.
2 days ago
Americans in a Reuters/Ipsos poll identified the cost of living as the primary factor influencing their votes in the upcoming midterms.
2 days ago
This will be damning for the DHS, which is already under immense pressure from the public.
2 days ago
Experts believe that it has to do with getting a sense of momentary control.
2 days ago
It seemed like the contestant was heading towards defeat, but his luck soon turned around.
2 days ago
The company says it has taken action to protect its rights as an importer to seek duty refunds.
3 days ago
The payout was driven by the company’s financial strength and strong underwriting performance.
3 days ago
Trump made this claim during his lengthy State Of The Union address earlier.
3 days ago
Research predicted that in the consumer sector, "AI personalization strategists" and "AI supply-chain analysts" jobs are expected to emerge.
3 days ago
The product might contain germs as the pasteurization process was not done properly due to a equipment troubleshooting error
3 days ago
The contestant came as close as possible to winning big, but had her heart broken in the end.
3 days ago
Trump failed to address the affordability issue that voters care most about.
3 days ago
He said that society is not quite ready for the pace at which AI is currently displacing workers.
4 days ago
The recall affected products that were sold to customers in four states and in Canada.
4 days ago