The Federal Reserve just cut interest rates by half a percentage point. CNBC Pro looked at which stocks historically perform best after an easing cycle begins. If history is any indication, the Fed’s decision to cut interest rates could boost some individual names. CNBC Pro used data from previous easing cycles going back to 1984 to search for the stocks that gained the most after the Fed cut interest rates. Top 10 names we came up with. Apple is the only large-cap tech stock to appear on this list. The tech giant, which has seen its shares rise more than 12% this year, has struggled recently amid reports of weak demand for its new iPhone 16. Historically, Apple’s stock price has risen by a median of about 16% three months after the Fed first cut interest rates. On average, the stock has gained nearly 9% during that period. Technology stocks tend to perform well immediately after the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, with digital storage company Western Digital being the best-performing stock and semiconductor equipment company Lam Research being the second-best performing stock. Three months after the Fed cut interest rates, Western Digital’s median share price rose more than 26%, while Lam Research’s stock price rose more than 22%. Supermarket chain Kroger topped the list, with shares soaring about 16% in the three months after the Fed cut interest rates. Big box retailer Target also performed well, rising about 14% during the period.
