Stocks popped out of the gate Friday and stayed higher through the close. Today's positive price action came as a result of an encouraging reading on inflation, as well as a rally in Big Tech stocks following well-received earnings from Dow Jones stock Intel (INTC).
Taking a quick look at this morning's inflation data, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said its June personal consumption and expenditures index (PCE), which tracks consumer spending, was up 0.2% month-over-month and 3.0% year-over-year. While the monthly figure was greater than the 0.1% increase seen in May, the annual increase decelerated from the prior month. Core PCE, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, also slowed vs May.
