U.S. stocks rose on Monday, kicking off a crucial week that could provide important signals on the direction of near-term interest rates.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.1% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (^IXIC) rose 0.3%, with each index hitting a new record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) lost 0.1%, erasing the previous day’s gains.
The S&P and Nasdaq both hit records on Friday after the jobs report suggested the labor market continued to cool, sparking a surge in bets that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in September, with roughly three in four traders now expecting a cut in September. According to the CME FedWatch tool:.
Events this week could give further impetus to cut rates. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled to give his semi-annual testimony before Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the release of the latest Consumer Price Index on Thursday. Economists expect headline inflation to have risen 3.1% from last year, matching the CPI’s lowest level at the beginning of the year.
In the corporate sector, Boeing (BA) pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in connection with the two deadly crashes of its 737 Max planes. Its shares rose less than 1%.
Meanwhile, electric vehicle giant Tesla (TSLA) shares erased their opening losses and turned positive after recording their ninth consecutive day of gains, closing up 0.5%.
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