core PCE

U.S. stocks closed the week higher as the September core PCE index cooled to 2.6% YoY, nudging expectations of a Fed rate cut. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%, the Nasdaq almost 1%, and the Dow 0.5%, marking back‑to‑back weekly gains. In tech, Meta trimmed metaverse spend, climbing 4%; Salesforce surged 13% after an earnings beat, emphasizing AI as a “commodity feature”; CrowdStrike posted record cash flow and earned a reaffirmed buy rating. Portfolio moves added Boeing and Procter & Gamble, while taking partial profits on Goldman Sachs. The upcoming Fed meeting will steer market direction, with a dovish stance likely sparking a rally in rate‑sensitive and AI‑driven sectors, while a hawkish tone may shift investors toward defensive, cash‑flow‑rich stocks.