US, Asia Stocks Rally on Fed Rate Cut Hopes, Trade Progress

U.S. stock markets, including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, are surging toward record highs driven by positive inflation data and expectations of a dovish Federal Reserve policy under President Trump's consideration to appoint a new Fed Chair, potentially Jerome Powell's successor, by September or October. The Personal Consumption Expenditure price index for May rose slightly, aligning with forecasts and bolstering hopes for interest rate cuts this year amid weaker economic indicators like a contracting GDP and rising jobless claims. Investor optimism is further supported by easing trade tensions, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicating finalized trade deals could be reached by September, and Washington making progress with China on rare earth shipments. Asian markets followed Wall Street’s lead, hitting multi-year highs as the Israel-Iran ceasefire holds and the dollar remains near three-year lows on bets of multiple Fed rate cuts in 2025. While retail and energy sectors gained, gold stocks declined amid these market shifts. Overall, the outlook reflects a market rally fueled by expectations of lower borrowing costs, improved trade relations, and political moves shaping Federal Reserve leadership.