Wall Street Set for Slight Gains Amid Focus on Fed Policy and Economic Data

Wall Street is poised to open slightly higher as investors shift their focus to comments from Federal Reserve policymakers and a week full of economic data. The Fed's recent move to commence policy easing has buoyed major indexes, with the S&P 500 nearing an all-time high. Key stocks like Intel rose on investment news, while GM slipped after a downgrade.

Wall Street was poised to see a modest opening boost Monday as investors turned their attention towards Federal Reserve policymakers' comments and a string of upcoming economic data. This shift follows last week's significant policy easing moves from the central bank, which led to a reprieve for Wall Street's key indexes, countering the typical sluggish performance observed in September.

The S&P 500, after an impressive rally this year, is close to setting a new all-time high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched a record close on Friday. However, high valuations of the benchmark index have introduced caution among investors, prompting careful consideration of future bids.

Key movers in pre-market trading included Intel, up 0.70% following Apollo's $5 billion investment offer, while General Motors fell 2.8% after a downgrade by Bernstein. Meanwhile, investors are eagerly awaiting important economic data and Fed comments to gauge future monetary policy direction, with markets experiencing volatility in anticipation.

(With inputs from agencies.)