Wall Street’s Rollercoaster – The Daily Buzz

Inflation and the Fed

It’s a hustle-bustle kind of day on Wall Street. Friday’s Inflation report, a long time coming, turned out to be lighter than expected. Cooler inflation gave everyone a hint that the Fed might just cut rates next week. The big picture? The CPI didn’t hit the forecast. It rose 3% from last year, but that’s less than the 3.1% many anticipated. You can thank the government’s shutdown for the delay in these numbers, leaving investors thirsty for data.

Investors seem certain about rate cuts. Over 99% believe a quarter-point cut is on the way next week, and another in December looks like a sure bet at 96%.

Market Highs and Surprises

Wall Street was all cheers with stocks closing at record highs. The Dow Jones broke past 47,000, the S&P topped 6,800, and the Nasdaq hit an all-time high as well. Ford’s shares were on a wild ride, with a rise of 13% after reporting earnings that beat expectations. The noise wasn’t just around Ford, though. Procter & Gamble surprised everyone with an earnings beat, propelling their stock up by 3%.

Stock Gains Overview:

The Stir Beyond Averages

Intel saw some ups and downs with its quarterly figures, but still managed to end the day in green. Their ambition in AI, as shared by their investor relations head, seems to be a solid plan.

Crypto stocks also had their moment in the sun. The tame inflation data further confirmed a rate cut, boosting confidence. Coinbase surged 7% following an upgrade from JPMorgan, making it a day to remember for crypto enthusiasts.

Global Trade Shifts

A wrench was thrown into trade talks when President Trump decided to cancel negotiations with Canada. Why? Apparently, a Canadian ad criticizing Trump’s tariffs, with old Reagan clips, didn’t sit well with him. This move brings fresh uncertainty to the global trade landscape.

Gold and Oil

Gold didn’t have its best week, down more than 1.5%, even after fluctuating wildly. Meanwhile, oil was set for its largest weekly jump in months, as Russian sanctions created ripples across the market.

Gold and Oil Movements:

• Gold: Ended the week down by 1.5%.
• Oil: Biggest weekly gain in months, sparked by global tensions and sanctions on Russia.

The Tech Showdown

Over in tech, Alphabet made waves by announcing a deal with Anthropic for supplying up to 1 million custom AI chips, possibly shaking Nvidia’s dominant position. AMD and Alphabet are setting the stage for a new chapter in AI.

Porsche, on a different trajectory, faces challenges in its EV strategy. There’s some recalibration happening, especially in China, which has impacted its year-to-date results.

Financial Sector Stirring

In banking, the Fed stirred the pot by proposing more transparency in stress tests for the nation’s biggest banks. This move could reshape the financial landscape, aiming to keep the big players on their toes.

Even as bubbles pop up in various markets, the stock world’s kept its balance, maybe a nod to folks pulling tricks from the dotcom era playbook.

Treasury Yields

The 10-year Treasury yield stayed just below 4% after the CPI results, while the 30-year yield nudged up to nearly 4.6%. Despite the wild ride, investors are holding tight to their belief in the Fed’s upcoming rate cut.

And so the stock market ballet goes on, balancing on the edge of anticipation and reaction. For more on these stories, dive into the Yahoo Finance updates.