One story is driving the conversation in the global business press this morning: US stocks are at an all-time high. Wall Street’s benchmark indexes — the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow — all hit record highs last night as traders cheered data showing US consumer prices rising at a slower rate in April.

The numbers: US inflation cooled to 3.4% in April, coming in below analyst expectations and 0.1 percentage points below the 3.5% recorded in March, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released yesterday.

Traders react: The figure reignited trader optimism that the Federal Reserve could start cutting interest rates this year. Fed chair Jay Powell has said time and time again that the central bank will not cut rates before it ensures that the country is on a sustainable path to 2% inflation — its core target. “The news on core inflation was better than expected. Retail sales also showed some deceleration from the previously hot consumer sector. Taken together, this supports a Fed rate-cut in the fall,” one analyst told CNBC.

Where the markets settled: The S&P 500was up 1.2%, hitting a record 5,308. Dow Jones was up 0.9% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq jumped 1.4%.

Stocks rise, treasuries fall. Yields on two-year US treasuries fell to their lowest level since early April.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Major Asian benchmarks are all comfortably in the green this morning, following Wall Street’s lead. Futures suggest both European and US markets are on track to open in positive territory at the opening bell today.

EGX30

25,316

-0.1% (YTD: +1.7%)

USD (CBE)

Buy 46.79

Sell 46.92

USD (CIB)

Buy 46.83

Sell 46.93

Interest rates CBE

27.25% deposit

28.25% lending

Tadawul

12,103

-0.2% (YTD: +1.1%)

ADX

9,021

-0.4% (YTD: -5.8%)

DFM

4,093

-1.1% (YTD: +0.8%)

S&P 500

5,308

+1.2% (YTD: +11.3%)

FTSE 100

8,446

+0.2% (YTD: +9.2%)

Euro Stoxx 50

5,101

+0.4% (YTD: +12.8%)

Brent crude

USD 82.94

+0.7%

Natural gas (Nymex)

USD 2.42

+3.1%

Gold

USD 2,395

+1.5%

BTC

USD 65,831

+6.9% (YTD: +55.7%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The EGX30 fell 0.1% at yesterday’s close on turnover of EGP 2.6 bn (46.1% below the 90-day average). Foreign investors were net buyers. The index is up 1.7% YTD.

In the green: Qalaa Holdings (+10.3%), Eastern Company (+3.8%) and Juhayna (+2.7%).

In the red: Orascom Construction (-2.9%), Sidi Kerir Petrochemicals (-1.8%), and Mopco (-1.8%).

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