Markets Today's stock market played it cool compared to the recent whirlwind of ups and downs. Yet, Gold, Oil, and Bonds apparently missed the memo, soaring as stocks wrapped up the day dramatically yet unchanged, just in time for a data-packed week. It's August, and the market's pacing today was as languid as a summer fling—unpredictable yet oddly familiar.
This week dishes out a feast of economic indicators, from CPI to Retail Sales, each capable of stirring the Federal Reserve pot—will it be a gentle 25-basis point stir or a vigorous 50-point shake? The market's pulse on the economy is reading slow, steering the debate from will they cut rates in September? to by how much? Most traders are betting on a modest trim, but a bullish faction is holding out for a deeper cut.