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US Equity Markets End Higher as Expectations Build for Fed to Keep Rates Steady

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US equity indexes ended higher Thursday in a broad-based rally amid rising expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged.

* Fed Governor Christopher Waller said he would be "inclined to support" holding rates steady at the Federal Open Market Committee meeting in September if August inflation data shows progress toward the central bank's 2% goal.

* The probability of the Fed raising its target rate by 25 basis points to 3.75% to 4.0% in September fell to 50.4% from 63.2% a day ago, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

* Initial jobless claims last week rose to 206,000 from an upwardly revised 204,000, compared with expectations for an increase to 205,000 in a Bloomberg survey.

* October West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose $0.57 to settle at $91.58 per barrel, while November Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $0.07 at $95.70.

* Palantir Technologies (PLTR) and PwC expanded their alliance to help enterprises deploy AI tools across critical business operations. Palantir shares rose 7.7%, the second-biggest gain on the Nasdaq.

* Ciena (CIEN) shares fell 10%, the largest decline on the S&P 500, even after the company reported better-than-expected fiscal Q3 results.

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US Equity Markets End Higher After Government Bond Yields Fall

US equity indexes ended higher Wednesday after government bond yields fell despite Iran's retaliatory attacks across the Middle East.* The additional strikes on Iran on Tuesday led to Tehran attacking Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait even though US President Donald Trump had warned that Iran would be "hit much harder" if it retaliated to the first strikes.* ADP's monthly measure of private payrolls showed a 38,000 increase in August, below a 47,000 gain expected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey.* New orders for US factory goods rose 0.9% in July from a 0.2% decrease in June, above expectations for a 0.7% increase in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.* October West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose $0.60 to settle at $90.82 per barrel, while November Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $0.75 at $95.40.* Dell Technologies (DELL) shares rose roughly 16%, the top gainer on the S&P 500, after the company reported higher fiscal Q2 results and raised its fiscal 2027 guidance.* Palo Alto Networks (PANW) shares were down about 9.3%, the worst performer on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, after the cybersecurity firm's fiscal Q4 adjusted gross margin declined year over year.

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Update: US Equity Indexes Rise as Treasury Yields Slip, Crude Oil Edges Up in Final Leg of Trading

(Updates with index/price moves and geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes rose while government bond yields edged lower and crude oil climbed amid concern that hostilities between Washington and Tehran are taking a turn for the worse.The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.3% to 26,188.5, the S&P 500 climbed 0.4% to 7,664.6, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.5% to 53,015.1.All sectors, except industrials and real estate, rose. Materials and communication services topped the gainers.The additional strikes Tuesday on Iran led to Tehran attacking Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait even though US President Donald Trump had warned that Iran would be "hit much harder" if it retaliated to the first strikes in over a month. "They will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!" Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday.The Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps said two oil tankers exploded after hitting a mine and are now on fire, Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported Wednesday.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil contract rose 0.5% to $90.70 per barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent climbed 0.7% to $95.29 per barrel. Both crude types were down by more than 0.5% earlier in the session.Most US Treasury yields slipped, albeit moderately. The 10-year yield was unchanged at 4.8%. The two-year yield slipped less than one basis point to 4.39%.Meanwhile, ADP's monthly measure of private payrolls showed a 38,000 increase in August, below a 47,000 gain expected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey, following a 46,000 increase in July. Service-providing jobs climbed 48,000, with education and health services jobs up 45,000, while manufacturing sector jobs contracted 17,000.

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Update: US Equity Indexes Rise in Midday Trading

(Updates with index/price moves, macroeconomic data, and geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes rose as crude oil prices and government bond yields fluctuated.The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.4% to 26,215.4, the S&P 500 climbed 0.5% to 7,667.3, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.4% to 52,963.7 after midday Wednesday.Iranians and their Arab neighbours feared a return of war on Wednesday after the biggest exchange of fire between Tehran and Washington since July, with US forces striking Iran's southern coast and Iran firing at American bases across the region, Reuters reported. The Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps said that two oil tankers exploded after hitting a mine and are now on fire, Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil contract added 0.6% to $90.79 per barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent climbed 0.9% to $95.53 per barrel. Both crude types were down by more than 0.5% earlier in the session.Most US Treasury yields traded mixed, albeit moderately. The 10-year yield edged up by less than one basis point to 4.8% after trading slightly lower earlier in the session. The two-year yield slipped less than one basis point to 4.39%.Meanwhile, ADP's monthly measure of private payrolls showed a 38,000 increase in August, below a 47,000 gain expected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey, following a 46,000 increase in July. Service-providing jobs climbed 48,000, with education and health services jobs up 45,000, while manufacturing sector jobs contracted 17,000.Dell Technologies (DELL) jumped 10%, the top gainer on the S&P 500, after the company reported higher fiscal Q2 non-GAAP adjusted earnings and revenue, and raised its fiscal 2027 guidance.

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