US markets end higher on Friday

28 Aug 2021 Evaluate

The US markets ended higher on Friday with notable gains, reacting to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's remarks at the Jackson Hole symposium. Jerome Powell said the central bank is likely to begin tapering some of its easy-money policies before the end of the year. However, he added that he still feels there's much ground to cover before rate hikes. Powell said the economy has reached a point where it no longer needs as much policy support, indicating the Fed might start reducing the amount of bonds it purchases each month before the end of 2021, provided the economy continues to progress. He added that while inflation is solidly around the Fed's 2% target rate, ‘we have much ground to cover to reach maximum employment,’ which is the second prong of the central bank's dual mandate and necessary before rate hikes happen. On the employment front, Powell noted that the delta variant of Covid 'presents a near-term risk' to getting back to full employment. However, he said 'the prospects are good for continued progress toward maximum employment.'

On economic front, data showed personal income in the U.S. increased by 1.1 percent in July, after a revised 0.2 percent advance in June. Meanwhile, personal spending rose by 0.3 percent in July, after rising by an upwardly revised 1.1 percent in June. Wholesale inventories in the U.S. increased by 0.6 percent month-over-month to $722 billion in July, cooling from an upwardly revised 1.2 percent rise in June, according to a preliminary estimate. The personal consumption expenditure price index in the U.S.rose 0.4 perent in July, following a 0.5 percent increase a month earlier. The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment for the US was revised to 70.3 in August, from a preliminary reading of 70.2.

Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 242.68 points or 0.69 percent to 35,455.8, Nasdaq gained 183.69 points or 1.23 percent to 15,129.5 and S&P 500 was up by 39.37 points or 0.88 percent to 4,509.37.

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