The Fed's minutes of the meeting showed that policy members agreed that the current stance of monetary policy was restrictive, but more evidence may be needed to determine if inflation was on the sustainable path of reaching the policy target rate of 2%.
Stocks rested in early trading after a tech-fueled rally lifted benchmark indexes for five days in a row. Treasury yields continued to drift lower from the highs reached in October, and the dollar indexes hovered near a three-month low.
Treasury yields remained unchanged, market indices increased, and high-growth stocks led the gainers. The dollar index drifted lower after the euro, the pound, and the Swiss franc edged to three-month highs.
Stocks were little changed in Monday's trading after benchmark indexes advanced for the third week in a row. Growth stocks led the gainers after interest rate hike worries receded, but the first decline in retail sales kept market enthusiasm in check.
Treasury yields hovered near two-month lows, and stocks attempted to extend their weekly rally. Crude oil declined for the fourth week in a row due to elevated U.S. supplies, rising inventories, and an uncertain demand outlook.
Stock market indexes on Wall Street lacked direction, and Treasury yields continued their downward slide. Crude oil prices plunged 5% on rising U.S. inventories and worries about demand growth in China.
U.S. major averages struggled to advance but retained an upward bias, and investors reviewed the update on weekly jobless claims and import price inflation.
Market indexes powered ahead after wholesale inflation slowed and retail sales declined for the first time since March. The weakening of consumer and wholesale inflation raised hopes that the interest rate peak may be closer than previously thought.
Though prices are still much higher than they were three years ago, the most recent wholesale inflation decline gave policymakers yet another indication that inflationary pressures are abating. Retail sales, unadjusted for inflation, rose at a slower pace in October.
Market averages soared in a broad rally after cooling inflation stoked speculation that the Federal Reserve may be nearing the end of its rate hike campaign.
Weakening overall and core inflation supported market advances, and tech stocks led the gainers. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes dropped below 4.5%.
U.S. stocks and bonds traded in a narrow range, and investors looked beyond the latest U.S. debt rating outlook downgrade. Crude oil and gold edged higher.
U.S. market averages declined after advancing for two weeks in a row. Moody's lowered its U.S. debt rating outlook to negative but held its highest level rating, citing fiscal deterioration and partisan gridlock in Washington.
After rising for almost two weeks, market indexes began to decline as investors reevaluated the state of the world economy and the recent gains made in tech stocks. Treasury yields turned higher, and crude oil hovered near a four-month low.
