Stock market today: Stocks edge up after best week of the year as investors turn attention to Fed symposium

• US stocks edged higher after their best week of 2024, driven by solid economic data.
• The S&P 500 gained nearly 4% last week, reflecting consumer resilience and a strong labor market.
• Investors now shift their focus to the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole meeting and upcoming retail earnings.

US stocks edged higher on Monday after enjoying their best week of 2024.

The S&P 500 gained nearly 4% last week after a string of economic data showed continued resilience in US consumer spending and a stable labor market.

Now investors will turn their attention to the Federal Reserve’s annual meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to give a speech on Friday.

While the Fed will not make an interest rate decision this week, the meeting will serve as a chance for Powell to prepare markets for a potential September interest rate cut.

“The key is whether Fed Chair Powell is dovish. We expect this to be the case for two simple reasons: first, inflation is tracking better than consensus expected,” Fundstrat’s Tom Lee said in a note on Monday. “Second, labor market is softening as unemployment is rising. Why would the Fed be hawkish.”

Aside from the Fed, investors will pay attention to second-quarter earnings results from retailers including Lowe’s, TJX Companies, and Target, as well as commentary from the Democratic National Convention.

Here’s where US indexes stood shortly after the 9:30 a.m. opening bell on Monday:

• S&P 500: 5,560.55, up 0.11%
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: 40,750.68, up 0.22% (+90/92 points)
• Nasdaq composite: 17,646.04, up 0.08%

Here’s what else is going on today:

• Meet the 15 members of the $100 billion club, who are jointly worth more than Alphabet.
• These 4 charts show why Wall Street’s most bullish strategist expects the stock market to triple by 2030.
• The rise of legal sports gambling is coming at the expense of stock investing, according to a new study.

In commodities, bonds, and crypto:

• West Texas Intermediate crude oil decreased 0.17% to $75.41 a barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, dropped 0.24% to $79.49 a barrel.
• Gold was lower by 0.32% to $2,529.70 per ounce.
• The 10-year Treasury yield was up one basis point at 3.89%.
• Bitcoin rose 0.73% to $58,867.