Wall Street Surges as Inflation Cools and Optimism Grows

Wall Street reached record highs due to unexpectedly low inflation, raising bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts. Positive Intel earnings boosted AI investor optimism. Consumer goods demand and tech sector gains contributed to market growth, while ongoing trade tensions and an impending Fed meeting loom.

Wall Street hit record highs on Friday, buoyed by lower-than-expected inflation figures that increased anticipation of swift Federal Reserve rate cuts. The promising earnings results from Intel added to investor optimism around artificial intelligence. Consumer prices rose less than expected in September, prompting traders to move up their rate cut forecasts. They now project three quarter-point cuts by March instead of April.

Eric Gerster, Chief Investment Officer at AlphaCore Wealth Advisory, remarked, "It's quite positive data and certainly clears the way for the Fed to cut rates next week." The Federal Reserve is anticipated to reduce rates by 25 basis points during its policy meeting on October 29.

Despite the optimistic market conditions, the economic landscape remains uncertain, with October business activity showing limited recovery. Amid a prolonged government shutdown, the White House cautioned potential delays in next month's inflation data release. As of 09:54 a.m., the Dow Jones rose 366.58 points, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted significant gains.

(With inputs from agencies.)