US stocks gained Friday, heading for fresh records as investors digested a crucial inflation report that helped cement expectations for the Federal Reserve’s next policy moves.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose more than 1%, or over 500 points. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) gained 1%, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) jumped 1.3%.
All eyes on Friday were on September’s inflation data, delayed for more than a week by the ongoing government shutdown. The CPI report came in cooler than expected, with headline CPI rising 3% on an annual basis, the highest level since May but softer than forecasts for a 3.1% gain. Month-over-month, prices rose 0.3%, a slight cooling from August’s reading and also below expectations.
The report was the first major economic release since the shutdown began, giving investors a long-awaited pulse check on the economy.
The CPI data did little to shake the near-unanimous investor confidence in a coming rate cut from the Fed next week — and more beyond that. Around 99% of bets are on a quarter-point cut next week, while some 96% of traders expect another slash in December.
Meanwhile, President Trump injected fresh uncertainty into trade negotiations with key US partners, announcing Friday he would cancel trade talks with Canada. Trump cited a Canadian advertisement against his signature tariffs plan which features the voice of former President Ronald Reagan.
In corporates, Intel (INTC) shares pared significant gains after the chip giant reported third-quarter revenue that topped Wall Street estimates.
“We believe we’re well-positioned to play a more significant role in AI,” Intel’s head of investor relations John Pitzer said in an interview with Yahoo Finance.
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Ford stock soars after Q3 earnings beat, report that Novelis plant set to reopenFord (F) stock jumped 9% in early trading Friday after its third quarter earnings surpassed expectations and the Wall Street Journal reported that the automaker’s key supplier Novelis will reopen its plant sooner than anticipated following a fire. Yahoo Finance’s Pras Subramanian wrote of Ford’s quarterly results: 
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