US Markets Rally on Optimism for Fed Rate Hike Pause

US stocks opened higher on Monday, with the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq all up, led by gains in tech stocks. The week will see key readings on inflation and consumer spending, as well as the Federal Reserve's decision on Wednesday. Salesforce's AI Day in New York City saw CEO Marc Benioff discuss the company's AI strategy, with investors betting on the company's dominance in the field. Deutsche Bank analyst Joe Ahlersmeyer believes there is still upside in homebuilder stocks, despite recent gains. Nasdaq announced a $10.5 billion deal to acquire compliance software play Adenza from private equity firm Thoma Bravo. JPMorgan announced a tentative settlement in a legal claim brought by one of Jeffrey Epstein's victims.