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monetary policy

US stocks rise as June inflation slows to 3.5%, easing pressure for rate hikes

Illustration accompanying article: US stocks rise as June inflation slows to 3.5%, easing pressure for rate hikes
  • The U.S. consumer price index rose 3.5% in June from a year earlier, down from 4.2% in May, according to the government report.
  • The S&P 500 added 0.4%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 9 points, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.9% to close at 26,107.01.
  • Traders reduced the probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike at its next meeting to less than 17% from nearly 42% a day earlier, according to data from CME Group.
  • Oil prices continued to climb on investor worries that the United States and Iran could return to all-out war.
 2026-07-14 · 3 MIN READ

Warsh-era Fed minutes reveal stark division on rate path

Warsh-era Fed minutes reveal stark division on rate path
  • The Federal Reserve's 19 officials were roughly split over whether its key interest rate would be unchanged or lower by year-end, or higher, according to minutes from the June 16-17 meeting.
  • Consumer expectations for inflation one year from now rose to 3.7% in the New York Fed's June survey, the highest reading in nearly three years.
  • Many officials said ongoing strong demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure would sustain upward pressure on prices for semiconductors and electricity.
  • Minutes noted that a few policymakers saw a case for raising rates at the June meeting but agreed to hold steady, a decision that was unanimous.
 2026-07-08 · 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Dow hits record as weak jobs report shifts Wall Street strategy