Wall St Week Ahead: Jobs data to direct rates path

While investors have largely welcomed evidence of economic strength, another round of strong jobs data on Dec. 6 could further erode expectations for Fed cuts and fuel wariness over inflation. — Bloomberg

NEW YORK: The coming week will give investors a fresh view into the health of the US economy with the release of a closely watched employment report that could help determine the trajectory of interest rates in the months ahead.

Stocks are heading into December with the benchmark S&P 500 near record highs following an over 25% year-to-date gain. Part of that performance has been fueled by expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue cutting interest rates into next year, after reducing borrowing costs by 75 basis points in 2024.