Wall St surges, Treasury yields retreat as data hints at potential Fed pause By Reuters

By Stephen Culp

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Wall Street jumped on Tuesday and Treasury yields dropped amid light, pre-holiday trading as a smattering of weak data had investors rejiggering their expectations for U.S. monetary policy.

A broad rally sent all three major U.S. stock indexes sharply higher, as investors looked ahead to crucial economic data due later this week that could sway the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions in the coming months.

U.S. economic indicators released on Tuesday showed dampening consumer sentiment and job openings dropping to their lowest level since March 2021, offering evidence that the central bank’s efforts to rein in inflation by throwing cold water on the economy is having its intended effect.

“Today’s data indicates that consumers are being cautious,” said Peter Tuz, president of Chase Investment Counsel in Charlottesville, Virginia. “And a cautious consumer bodes well for efforts to control inflation; if consumers stop spending, prices will drop.”

But as market participants drift toward a three-day U.S. holiday weekend, volumes are likely to be unusually light, which can bring about increased volatility.

“There aren’t that many people around to sell stock, and the people who are around are interested in buying, it seems,” Tuz added. “It doesn’t take all that much to get the market going.”

Data due as the week draws to a close include August payrolls, July PCE inflation and the Commerce Department’s second take on April-June GDP.

The rose 261.12 points, or 0.76%, to 34,821.1, the gained 61.05 points, or 1.38%, to 4,494.36, and the added 241.92 points, or 1.77%, to 13,947.05.

European shares closed at a two-week high with a boost from the mining sector as Beijing’s recent policy moves to jump-start China’s languid economy fueled demand hopes.

The pan-European index rose 0.97% and MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe gained 1.38%.

Emerging market stocks rose 1.09%. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan closed 1.32% higher, while rose 0.18%.

U.S. Treasury yields retreated after a sharp fall in U.S. job openings increased the likelihood of a Fed rate hike pause.

Benchmark 10-year notes last rose 23/32 in price to yield 4.1217%, down from 4.212% late on Monday.

The 30-year bond last rose 29/32 in price to yield 4.2341%, from 4.289% late on Monday.

The greenback reversed earlier gains against a basket of world currencies, dipping into negative territory after the soft economic reports.

The fell 0.45%, with the euro up 0.47% to $1.0868.

The yen strengthened 0.44% versus the greenback at 145.89 per dollar but still hovered close to last year’s intervention range, while sterling was last trading at $1.2633, up 0.24% on the day.

Oil prices rose as Hurricane Idalia bore down on Florida’s Gulf Coast, threatening supply in a tightening market.

rose 1.32% to settle at $81.16 per barrel, while settled at $85.49, up 1.27% on the day.

Gold prices gathered upward momentum in the wake of weaker than expected U.S. data, which could give the central bank some wiggle room to soften its hawkish stance.

added 0.9% to $1,936.56 an ounce.