Stocks gain as Fed’s Waller offers hope on July rate cut
By: | Published: 2025-06-20 15:15:00 | Source: www.nationalmortgagenews.com
U.S. stocks rose early Friday as investors returned from the Juneteenth holiday break to evaluate recent comments from a top Federal Reserve official as well as the latest developments in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
The S&P 500 Index gained 0.6% at 9:43 a.m. in New York, with the benchmark teetering between a weekly gain or loss. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index advanced 0.8%. The VIX Index hovered around 19.
In an interview on CNBC, Fed Governor Christopher Waller said Friday that the central bank could lower interest rates as soon as next month, reiterating his view on the inflation hit from tariffs likely being short-lived. Waller said economic data shows GDP growth and inflation are running close to the Fed’s targets.
“I think we’ve got room to bring it down, and then we can…
