US stocks drop as traders mull the Fed’s uncertain economic outlook

US stocks drop as traders mull the Fed’s uncertain economic outlook

Andrew Kelly/Reuters

US stocks closed lower on Thursday as investors continued to digest the Fed's uncertain economic outlook and weekly jobless claims that still exceed the highs of the Great Recession.Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's comments on Wednesday expressed uncertainty in the economic recovery and mentioned that the Fed didn't expect to raise interest rates until at least 2023.Additionally, weekly jobless claims fell by more than 30,000 from the previous week, to 860,000, though that was higher than the consensus estimate of 850,000. The current weekly jobless claim figures are still well above the 6650,000 peak reached during the Great Recession in 2009.Oil prices traded higher after reports that Saudia Arabia stressed OPEC+ compliance to its members. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped as much as 2.6%, to $41.22 per barrel.Watch major