Wall Street Hits New Records as Rate Cut Expectations Surge — ‘Labor Market Is Still the Main Story’
Wall Street’s record-setting rally kept surging on Thursday, as a fresh batch of mixed U.S. economic data signaled that the Federal Reserve may finally cut interest rates at its next policy meeting — potentially giving…

Wall Street’s record-setting rally kept surging on Thursday, as a fresh batch of mixed U.S. economic data signaled that the Federal Reserve may finally cut interest rates at its next policy meeting — potentially giving another jolt to an already red-hot stock market.
The S&P 500 climbed 0.8%, hitting an all-time high for the third straight day, according to the Associated Press.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 617 points (1.4%), and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.7% — both also notching new record highs.
All told, the S&P 500 rose 55.43 points to 6,587.47. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 617.08 to 46,108.00, and the Nasdaq composite gained 157.01 to 22,043.07.
Market momentum was fueled by reports that more Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, an indicator of rising layoffs and further weakness in the Labor market. It’s the kind of softening that Wall Street has been hoping for — just enough to push the Fed toward cutting rates, but not so severe that it triggers a recession.
“Right now, inflation is a key subplot, but the Labor market is still the main story,” said Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.
Thursday’s data dump


