Stocks are wrapping up a stellar quarter at all-time highs amid signs of progress in US trade talks while hopes the Federal Reserve will resume its rate cuts drove Treasuries toward their best first-half stretch in five years. The dollar eyed its longest monthly slide since 2017.The S&P’s 24% surge from the brink of a bear market put the benchmark on pace for its best quarter since Dec 2023. While gains were mild on Monday, optimism the US is close to reaching deals with top trading partners sent the gauge near 6,200. Calm prevailed at the end of a first half that saw wild swings lashing Wall Street amid Trump’s fast-evolving trade war, world conflicts, recession jitters as well as concerns about a ballooning deficit that could threaten America’s status as a safe haven. bloomberg
