S&P 500, Nasdaq climb as soft inflation dampens Fed rate hike expectations — Live Feedhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/s-p-500-nasdaq-climb-as-soft-inflation-dampens-fed-rate-hike-expectationsContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. Nasdaq and S&P 500 Rise as Soft Inflation Data Cools Rate Hike Fearshttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/s-p-500-nasdaq-climb-as-soft-inflation-dampens-fed-rate-hike-expectationshttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/s-p-500-nasdaq-climb-as-soft-inflation-dampens-fed-rate-hike-expectations#u99784Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:10:44 +0000The Nasdaq jumped more than 1% on Wednesday, leading Wall Street gains after a softer-than-anticipated inflation reading reduced expectations for a Federal Reserve rate hike in October. While the S&P 500 showed mixed performance across sources, with some reporting a dip and others reporting gains, both indexes achieved their second consecutive quarterly increase. The Federal Reserve's preferred gauge reported core inflation at 3.0% for August, a figure significantly lower than analysts expected, prompting investors to believe the central bank may delay further interest rate increases.