Wall Street Jumps Amid Rate Cut Expectations, Moderna Drops on Revenue News

Wall Street's main indexes surged on Thursday with expectations of a 25-basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve. The producer price index for final demand rose 0.2% in August. Moderna's shares fell sharply after a forecasted revenue slump, while Kroger and Warner Bros Discovery saw significant gains.

Wall Street experienced significant gains on Thursday as stronger-than-expected producer prices data bolstered expectations for a 25-basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve. The producer price index (PPI) for final demand increased by 0.2% in August, surpassing estimated growth of 0.1%. The core number, which excludes the volatile sectors of food and energy, also rose by 0.3%, above the 0.2% forecast.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits remained consistent with estimates at 230,000 for the week ending September 7. Chuck Carlson, CEO of Horizon Investment Services, noted that cooling inflation and investor willingness to buy during declines are driving current market trends. Analysts now see a 75% chance of a 25-basis point rate cut by the Fed in its upcoming meeting, contrasting with prior larger cut expectations.

As of early afternoon trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had risen by 162.35 points (0.40%), the S&P 500 gained 39.05 points (0.70%), and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 180.07 points (1.04%). Most sectors in the S&P 500 rose, with communication services leading at 1.8%, while real estate lagged slightly. The small-cap Russell 2000 also outperformed with a 1.4% gain.

Moderna's stock dropped by 11.5% after issuing a downbeat revenue forecast for next year, making it the biggest loser on the S&P 500. Conversely, Kroger gained 6% after exceeding second-quarter estimates and revise its annual sales outlook upwards. Warner Bros Discovery soared by 8.9% on news of Charter Communications offering an ad-supported version of its streaming services.

Overall, advancing issues outnumbered decliners significantly on both the NYSE and the Nasdaq, reflecting a broadly positive market sentiment.

(With inputs from agencies.)