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On the heels of the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged for now, stocks are moving higher. The latest economic data gave investors a mixed message: growth is slowing, but inflation is still not where the Fed wants it. Q2 GDP rose 1.5%, short of the 1.8% economists expected and down from 2.1% in Q1, suggesting the economy lost some momentum as spring turned into summer.
On the inflation side, the Fed’s preferred PCE gauge cooled 0.1% in June, but the annual rate still stood at 3.7%, well above the central bank’s 2% target. Core PCE, which strips out food and energy and is watched closely for trend inflation, rose 0.1% on the month and 3.3% from a year ago. Stock futures stayed positive, but Treasury yields moved sharply higher, suggesting traders are not ready to declare the inflation fight over.
Here’s a look at where things stand as of pre-morning trading:
Dow Futures: 51,968 Up 0.39%
Nasdaq 100 Futures: 27,810 Up 1.71%
S&P Futures: 7,398 Up 0.64%
Market Movers
Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) delivered the kind of megacap beat the market needed, with EPS of $4.74 and revenue of $90.1 billion both clearing expectations. The report gives the AI trade a steadier anchor after a rough stretch for semiconductors.
Meta Platform’s (Nasdaq: META) quarter put the AI spending debate back under the microscope. Revenue guidance missed expectations at the midpoint, while free cash flow dropped 91% year over year to $784 million as the company kept pouring money into AI. Shares fell in pre-market trading and remain down about 16% this year.
Amazon’s (Nasdaq: AMZN) Zoox unit moved closer to a commercial robotaxi rollout after receiving a temporary NHTSA exemption for as many as 2,500 vehicles annually in the U.S. over the next two years, according to Bloomberg. The green light gives Amazon a new autonomy milestone as investors watch whether Zoox can become more than an expensive side bet.
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