Wall St Week Ahead: US stocks' path may rest on economic soft landing

Investor optimism on equities has grown over the last few weeks, as markets rebounded from a months-long drop that ran from August through much of October. — Reuters

NEW YORK: Are US stocks poised to continue their dramatic run, or is a pause ahead? That’s the question investors are asking as the S&P 500 heads into the close of the year with fresh highs coming into view.

Signs of cooling inflation have fueled hopes that the Federal Reserve is done raising interest rates, helping extend a rally that has seen the S&P 500 gain over 9% since late October. The index is now up nearly 18% for the year and less than 2% away from its year-high, reached in July. Its record closing level, from January 2022, is some 6% away.