On Friday, July 12th, U.S. stock markets closed higher, with the S&P 500 and Dow hitting record highs on expectations of a Fed rate cut. Major banks fell on mixed results, while Apple and Nvidia both saw gains. In economic news, June’s headline PPI for final demand rose by 0.2%, surpassing the expected 0.1% increase. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment fell for the fourth month, reaching 66 in July from 68.2 in June. All S&P 500 sectors closed higher Friday, with IT, consumer discretionary, and materials leading gains, while communication services closed lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.62% and closed at 40,000.90. The S&P 500 ...