The stage is set for the Federal Reserve’s meeting next week. The markets surged higher after the August reading on producer price inflation turned unexpectedly negative. That news sharpened the focus on the recent labor data and made it a near certainty that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates.
However, investors now have to wonder if the market has already priced in that cut and if future cuts may come. The S&P 500 is already up about 12% in 2025. That’s slightly above the index's long-term average, but about 50% lower than the gains made in the last two years.
The takeaway is that equities have room to move higher, but it’s possible that the market may have to move sideways if money rotates out of the technology sector. To that end, investors will also get retail sales data next week that could provide more ideas about where to invest. The MarketBeat analysts will be helping investors identify those stocks and stories moving the market. Here are some of our most popular stories from this week.
