U.S. stocks edged lower as investors navigated a mix of rising oil prices, corporate earnings signals, and shifting expectations around Federal Reserve policy. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all turned down after early gains, reflecting a market grappling with geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns. Indexes Pull Back All three major indexes slipped roughly between 0.3% and 0.6%, giving back some of the previous session’s momentum. The downturn followed renewed volatility in energy markets and cautious sentiment around consumer spending. Oil Prices Add Fresh Pressure Crude prices extended their sharp rally, driven by heightened worries over a potential U.S.–Iran conflict. Brent crude climbed above $71 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate hovered near $66 — its biggest daily jump since October. Rising energy costs revived inflation concerns and weighed on equities. Walmart Earnings in Focus Walmart posted stronger‑than‑expected results, but its cautious pro...
The stock market rallied and bond yields fell after the Federal Reserve sent mixed messages about its future policy.
The Federal Reserve is in a “sweet spot” and may start cutting interest rates in the first half of 2024. The rally in the bond market is driving global bonds to their best month since 2008. The Bank of Japan left its policy rate unchanged and appeared in no hurry to remove negative interest rates. The yen slumped as much as 1.1% to the weakest level in a week, while the Nikkei 225 Index rallied 1.4% to a two-week high.
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