US stocks close higher amid rate cut hopes, data
Shares of Deutsche Bank rose over 2.5 per cent, after Swiss investment bank UBS upgraded the German bank from "sell" to "neutral," saying the latter's restructuring plan would be backed by home regulator, which led to a more "balanced risk/reward" scenario.Eight of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors traded higher around market close, with the industrials sector up nearly 1.7 per cent, leading the gainers.During his second day of testimony on Thursday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell reiterated that the central bank will always do "what's right for the US economy" and called for the Congress to raise debt limit in a timely manner.On the economic front, US producer price index rose 0.1 per cent in June, the same increase as in May, said the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday.The index rose 1.7 per cent for the 12 months ended in June, the lowest rate of increase since it advanced 1.7 per cent in January 2017, dragged down by the 3.1-per cent drop in the index for energy for the month.
--IANS rs