US stocks edge toward records with inflation data, policy progress in focus
By Lewis Krauskopf
NEW YORK (Reuters) -The U.S. stock rebound has driven key indexes to the cusp of record levels, with fresh economic data and trade and fiscal policy developments set to test whether equities will get an extra push higher in the near term.
A monthly U.S. inflation report headlines the events for markets in the coming week.
Equities have bounced back from a steep fall in April, sparked by concerns about the economic fallout from President Donald Trump's tariff plans. Stocks ended the week on a high note, with the S&P 500 closing on Friday above 6,000 for the first time since late February, buoyed by a monthly U.S. jobs report that calmed worries about the economy.
The benchmark S&P 500 ended on Friday 2.3% off its record closing high from February.
"I'd still say it's a cautious tone" in the market, said Jim Baird, chief investment officer with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. Despite a "recovery off the lows, I still think it's a market that is looking for greater clarity."
Some uncertainty stems from how the U.S. economy is weathering the shifting trade backdrop. Trump has eased back on some of the harshest tariffs since his April 2 "Liberation Day" announcement sent stocks tumbling, but investors are waiting to see how other levies may be rippling through the economy.
The consumer price index report for May, due on Wednesday, could give insight into the tariff impact at a time investors are wary of any flare-ups in inflation.
"Consumers are feeling the impact of higher prices and if there are indications that near-term inflation could re-accelerate, that is going to put further pressure on discretionary spending and ultimately could lead to a more pronounced slowdown in growth," Baird said.
The CPI report will be one of the last key pieces of data before the Federal Reserve's June 17-18 meeting. The U.S. central bank is widely expected to hold interest rates steady at that meeting, but traders are pricing in nearly two 25-basis point cuts by the end of the year.
"If we see inflationary data that defies what people are concerned about based on this tariff talk and it comes in cooler, then that could also be a catalyst to at least test those old highs," said Jay Woods, chief global strategist at Freedom Capital Markets.
For the year, the S&P 500 is up 2%. But the index has stormed back over 20% since April 8, at the depth of the stock market's plunge on concerns over the tariff fallout.
Investors also are grappling with uncertainty over a sweeping tax-cut and spending bill under review in the U.S. Senate. Wall Street is monitoring how much the legislation could stimulate economic growth, but also inflate the country's debt burden as widening fiscal deficits have become a central concern for markets in recent weeks.
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