The US markets ended higher on Monday on account of optimism the Fed will signal a near-term interest rate cut when announcing its monetary policy decision on Wednesday. Street expects the Fed to leave interest rates unchanged but make changes to its accompanying statement pointing to an openness to cutting rates in the near future. CME Group's FedWatch tool currently indicates just a 17.5 percent chance the Fed will cut rates this week but a 71.2 percent chance for a rate cut next month. Recent indications the U.S.-China trade dispute is contributing to a slowdown in US economic growth has led to speculation the Fed may cut rates, with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell pledging to act as appropriate to sustain the expansion. Disappointing economic data seems to have reinforced the optimism about a potential rate cut, as the New York Fed released a report before the start of trading showing a sharp downward turn in regional manufacturing activity in June.
The New York Fed said its general business conditions index plunged to a negative 8.6 in June from a positive 17.8 in May, with a negative reading indicating a contraction in manufacturing activity. Street had expected the index to drop to a positive 10.0. With the much record-setting monthly decrease, the general business conditions index recorded its first negative reading in over two years. A separate report from the National Association of Home Builders showed an unexpected pullback in homebuilder confidence in the month of June. The report said the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index dropped to 64 in June after jumping to 66 in May. The decrease surprised participants, who had expected the index to inch up to 67.
Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 22.92 points or 0.09 percent to 26112.53, Nasdaq gained 48.37 points or 0.62 percent to 7845.02 and S&P 500 was up by 2.69 points or 0.09 percent to 2889.67.
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