US Stocks End at Record Highs as Inflation Slows
The US stock market closed at record highs on Thursday, with the S&P 500 ending 0.7% higher and the Nasdaq 100 rising 1.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, while the Russell 2000, which tracks small-cap stocks, gained 0.3%. This uptick in the market came after data showed that wholesale inflation cooled in July, easing fears that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates at its September meeting.
The producer price index posted a 4.7% year-over-year increase, moderating from June's 5.5% gain and remaining flat on a monthly basis. This slowdown in inflation may give the Fed Chair Kevin Warsh more breathing room, potentially keeping interest rates steady. Arun Sundaram at CFRA noted that 'the Fed's decision is far from settled' and investors still have several potential plot twists to digest.
In the tech sector, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) raised nearly $5 billion in its largest-ever US-dollar bond offering. SanDisk (SNDK) also made headlines with a strong revenue outlook for fiscal years 2028 through 2030, targeting mid-to-high-teens compound revenue growth. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) jumped 1% on Thursday, driven by strength in Nvidia (NVDA), Micron Tech (MU), and ASML Holdings (ASML).
Other stocks that caught attention include Workday (WDAY), which is reportedly in preliminary discussions for a private equity deal with Silver Lake, and Hertz Global Holdings (HTZ), whose shares sold off sharply after Pershing Square Capital Management revealed it had exited its position. Dell Technologies (DELL) was also on track to top $500 for the first time on Thursday, extending a recent rally fueled by upbeat results from Chinese rival Lenovo Group.