Stock markets mostly rose Friday as slowing US and European inflation raised hopes of more aggressive interest rate cuts while investors applauded China's measures to boost its struggling economy. All major European markets closed higher, locking in strong gains for the week. Wall Street stocks finished mixed after a choppy session, with the Dow edging to a fresh record and the Nasdaq retreating.
It's "clearly a very positive week, the third straight week of gains," said Angelo Kourkafas of Edward Jones. Earlier, the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock markets finished the week more than 10 percent higher, with Shanghai seeing its strongest weekly gain since 2008. The US personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index was up 2.
2 percent from a year ago in August, down from 2.5 percent in July, the latest data point to show an easing in price pressure. "Inflation stayed in its cage last month, reinforcing ideas that the Federal Reserve has runway to sharply cut rates in coming months," said Joe Mazzola, a strategist at Charles Schwab.
The Fed cut its main lending rates by 50 basis points earlier this month -- its first rate cut in more than four years -- and analysts expect further cuts at the next policy meeting in November. US "inflation seems to be on a sustained path lower", said Bret Kenwell, US investment analyst at eToro trading platform. For the Federal Reserve, he said, "it makes sense to turn their focus to the labor market, which has shown softness in recent months.
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