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Wall Street Eyes Weekly Gain as Peace Hopes Lift Futures

  Wall Street Poised for Weekly Gain as Futures Climb on Middle East Peace Hopes Wall Street looked set to close the week on a positive note as U.S. equity futures climbed Friday, supported by renewed optimism that diplomatic progress in the Middle East could ease geopolitical tensions. Investors have been highly sensitive to any signs of de‑escalation, and this week’s developments helped unwind some of the risk premiums that had weighed on global markets. Oil prices, which surged earlier in the month on fears of supply disruptions, pulled back again as ceasefire discussions gained traction. Lower energy costs have helped cool inflation expectations, giving markets a bit more breathing room after a volatile stretch. Major U.S. indexes are now on track for a weekly gain, with tech and consumer stocks leading the rebound. Still, analysts caution that sentiment remains fragile: any setback in negotiations could quickly revive market turbulence. For Canadian investors, easing oil v...

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Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Breaches 5,300 as Stocks Rally to Records After CPI

 


U.S. stocks rallied on Wednesday, with all three major indexes closing at record highs. A soft reading on consumer prices fueled hopes that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates sooner than expected.
  • The S&P 500 rose nearly 1.2%, closing at 5,308.18, above 5,300 for the first time ever.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped about 0.9%, creeping closer toward the 40,000 level.
  • The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed about 1.4%, notching its second record close in as many days.

The Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% over the previous month and 3.4% over the prior year in April, a deceleration from March. “Core” inflation, which strips out the cost of food and gas, also cooled. This relatively cool inflation reading led the 10-year Treasury yield to fall 4.35%, its lowest level in a month, and sparked new bets on Fed rate cuts as soon as September. Around 70% of traders now expect at least one cut by the September meeting, a notable increase from a week ago.

Stocks have ground higher amid rekindled confidence that the U.S. economy is in good enough shape for the Federal Reserve to start bringing down rates from their current historic highs. That optimism has fueled a resurgence in bullishness in the market.

Elsewhere on the macroeconomic front, retail sales fell flat last month, coming in well short of Wall Street’s expectations.

In summary, the stock market continues to surge, and investors are closely watching inflation data and Fed policy decisions.


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