Dow Jones Climbs Toward 50,000 Milestone

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 48.95 points to finish at 49,500.93 today, while Dow futures climbed to 49,543.00. The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index unexpectedly strengthened and inflation expectations cooled, supporting equities and suggesting the Federal Reserve may have greater flexibility on rate policy. Consumer discretionary and enterprise-software names led gains, though financials and some tech names saw selective selling.