S&P 500 climbs as easing inflation pushes yields lower, tech higher

Investing.com -- The S&P 500 was in rally mode Wednesday, underpinned by hopes that the Federal Reserve could deliver its final rate hike later this month after data showed inflation slowed more than expected in June.

The S&P 500 rose 0.8%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.38%, or 120 points, and the Nasdaq was up 1.2%.

Fed: One final hike in July?

The consumer price index rose 0.2% last month after edging up 0.1% in May, with 12-month inflation also slowing to a 3% pace from 4%, marking the slowest pace of price pressures since March 2021.

While many still expect the Fed to resume rate hikes later this month, rate hikes beyond July will likely be thrown into further doubt should upcoming economic data signal a further slowdown in inflation.

If economic data in the months ahead including the Employment Cost Index on July 28, and the employment and inflation data that is released in August, slow at the pace that we have seen in the CPI data of the past couple of months, then “the July hike may prove to be the final move of the cycle,” Jefferies said in a note.

Tech rallies as Treasury yields drop

Big tech shook off its recent malaise, led by Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META) as Treasury yields fell sharply on bets that the Fed rate hikes are nearing an end.

Microsoft added more than 1% as the tech giant took another major step forward toward closing its $69 billion acquisition of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard Inc (NASDAQ:ATVI) after a Federal judge rejected the Federal Trade Commission’s request to delay the acquisition, citing a lack of evidence that the deal would lessen competition.

“With the injunction denied, Microsoft has a green light to close the deal before July 18,” Wedbush said in a note. Should the deal extend beyond July 18, then under the terms of the deal, Microsoft would have been on the hook to pay Activision $3B and be required to negotiate a new deal, Wedbush added.

PepsiCo and Delta set to get earnings season underway

PepsiCo and Delta report quarterly results on Thursday, lifting the curtain on the quarterly earnings season.

PepsiCo Inc (NASDAQ:PEP), which reports before the opening bell on Thursday is expected to deliver strong results, RBC says, driven by ongoing momentum in Frito Lay. “We think PEP will be able to raise EPS to cover current consensus,” RBC added, noting that annual EPS of $7.27 is below current consensus.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), which also reports before the opening bell Thursday, hit a fresh 52-week high before giving up gains. The airline is up nearly 50% year to date after recently upgraded its full-year earnings forecast amid ongoing demand and lower fuel prices.