Closing Bell: Fed Toys With Faster Pace of Hikes; Dow Closes in on 20,000 Milestone

Stocks ended the session at highs even as the Federal Reserve toyed with the possibility of a faster pace of interest rate hikes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average moved within 50 points of its 20,000 milestone at its session high. In meeting minutes, Fed members said that a number of risks might call for a different path of policy than currently expected. The central bank raised its forecasts to three likely rate hikes this year at its December meeting. Weight Watchers (WTW) - Get Report surged after being consistently ranked as one of the top diets for 2017. U.S. News & World Report ranked the company first in four out of nine categories in its Best Diets list. Oshkosh (OSK) - Get Report  moved slightly lower after being downgraded to hold from buy at Deutsche Bank. Analysts saw few short-term catalysts for growth that would warrant a higher rating.