Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq turn higher as gold powers to fresh high

US stocks turned higher on Monday as Wall Street looked ahead to a parade of Federal Reserve speakers and a key inflation print for clues to the chances of further US interest rate cuts.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) was roughly flat, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose about 0.2% after the indexes opened in the red. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) added 0.3% on the heels of a strong week for stocks as investors welcomed the Fed’s return to easing.
Gold (GC=F) rose to a fresh all-time high on Monday, topping $3,750 amid bets the Fed will lower rates twice more before the end of 2025. But bitcoin (BTC-USD) and other crypto tokens sank as traders liquidated over $1.5 billion in bullish wagers.
Markets are waiting for Friday’s fresh reading on the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, to test those wagers. A weak print is likely to lift the odds of another quarter-point cut in October. Wall Street expects PCE in September to show price pressures are persisting but remain tame enough to keep the Fed on track.
Meanwhile, investors will listen out for any other hints from a packed schedule of Fed speakers in the coming days, including Chair Jerome Powell and President Trump-backed Stephen Miran. The newly installed Fed governor has promised to give details on his policy views at his appearance on Monday in New York, while Powell is slated to speak on Tuesday.
Markets were watching for any fallout from Trump’s latest immigration crackdown. On Friday, his administration said US companies will face a $100,000 fee for H1-B work visas, prompting the likes of Microsoft (MSFT) and Goldman Sachs (GS) to send urgent emails warning employees. Shares of megacap techs were mixed in early trading.
In earnings reports due later, eyes will be on Micron Technology (MU) for updates on AI-driven demand and on Costco (COST) results for a window into consumer spending.
LIVE 16 updates