Stocks Climb as Price Data Keep Fed Bets in Play: Markets Wrap

A renewed wave of dip buying lifted stocks in the final stretch of the week after a key inflation gauge matched expectations, giving the Federal Reserve some breathing room to address labor-market cooling.

Following a three-day slide, the S&P 500 rebounded. The response to the data was fairly muted in the bond market, and swap traders continued to price in around 40 basis points of Fed cuts before the end of 2025. The dollar fell.

Stocks bounce back.

Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

A report Friday showed the personal consumption expenditures price index excluding food and energy rose 0.2% in August, compared with 0.3% in July. ...