Nasdaq, S&P 500 inch up before Labor Day weekend on rate-cut hopes
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PCE data shows inflation rose 2.5% in July
Marvell jumps after forecasting Q3 results above estimates
Ulta Beauty tumbles following annual forecast trim
Intel up on report chipmaker exploring options
Indexes up: Dow down 0.21%, S&P 500 up 0.11%, Nasdaq up 0.28%
Updated at 11:42 a.m. ET/ 1542 GMT
By Johann M Cherian and Purvi Agarwal
Aug 30 (Reuters) - The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 inched up in choppy trading on Friday ahead of the long weekend, after signs of moderating price pressures strengthened bets for an interest-rate cut at the Federal Reserve's upcoming meeting in September.
The Personal Consumption Expenditure index , the central bank's preferred inflation gauge, rose 2.5% in July on an annual basis, compared to an estimate of 2.6%, according to economists polled by Reuters. On a monthly basis, it rose 0.2% as expected.
Among rate-sensitive megacaps, Amazon.com AMZN.O and Microsoft MSFT.O added 1.8% and 0.4%, respectively. Chip stocks also rose, with Broadcom AVGO.O climbing 2.3% and Advanced Micro Devices AMD.O gaining 0.5%, aiding the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index's .SOX 1.5% rise.
Friday'sPCE report is the last one beforethe Fed'sSeptember meeting and followsChair Jerome Powell's comments last week, when he expressed support for an imminentpolicy adjustment.
Odds of a 25-basis-point reduction stood at 67.5%, according to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, while those of a 50-bps reduction were at 32.5%.
"The data bakes in further that there is going to be a start to the rate-cutting cycle," said Thomas Martin, senior portfolio manager at GLOBALT Investments.
Martin said investors remain focused on the labor market, with a slew of employment reports scheduled for the coming week.
Global markets are nearing the end of a tumultuous month for riskier assets, aftersigns of a sudden moderation in the labor market sparked recession fears in the United Statesin early August. The influence of the Japanese yen JPY= carry trade worsened the rout.
Risk-taking has improved since then, with the Dow .DJI hovering near record highs, as subsequent data including Thursday's upward revision to economic growth soothed investor nerves.
At 11:42 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI was down 86.41 points, or 0.21%, at 41,248.64, the S&P 500 .SPX was up 6.36 points, or 0.11%, at 5,598.32, and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC was up 49.01 points, or 0.28%, at 17,565.44.
Most of the 11 S&P 500 sectors traded flat, but Consumer Discretionary .SPLRCD bucked the trendwith a 0.7% advance. Energy .SPNY was the biggest laggard witha 0.6% drop, tracking lower oil prices.
The tech-focused Nasdaq .IXIC and the S&P 500 .SPX closed lower on Thursday afterNvidia NVDA.O failed to match sky-high investorexpectations, despite upbeat results and a broadly in-line forecast. The AI-chip bellwether was up 0.4% after a 6.4% drop in the previous session.
The benchmark S&P 500 and the Dow are set for monthly gains, while the Nasdaq is on track to end August lower, if losses hold.
Among other stocks, MarvellTechnology MRVL.O jumped 7.9% after forecasting third-quarter results above estimates.
Ulta Beauty ULTA.O slid 3.0% after it trimmed itsannual results forecasts, whileIntel INTC.O rose 9.2% following areport it wasexploring options which couldinclude a merger or a split.
Dell Technologies DELL.N advanced 3.4% after liftingits annual revenue and profit forecasts.
Trading volumes are expected to thin ahead of the extended weekend due to the Labor Day holiday.
Declining issues outnumbered advancers for a 1.06-to-1 ratio on the NYSE, and by a 1.16-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P index recorded 57 new 52-week highs and one new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 63 new highs and 51 new lows.
Fund flows: U.S. equity sector funds Fund flows: U.S. equity sector funds https://tmsnrt.rs/40SDRqx
Annual change in US Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index https://reut.rs/3yXltEq
Reporting by Johann M Cherian and Purvi Agarwal in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai
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