U.S. stocks are rallying after financial markets worldwide got a shot of adrenaline from an encouraging update on U.S. inflation. Strong profit reports from the biggest U.S. banks are also helping send indexes higher.

Investors also cheered a strong set of quarterly results from the biggest US banks. At the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 409.5 points, or 0.96%, to 42,927.76. The S&P 500 rose 62.3 points, or 1.07%, to 5,905.21, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 305.9 points, or 1.61%, to 19,350.313.

I make note of the four stocks analysts most adore, and the four they most despise. In performance over the next year, there's little difference.

Asian shares are mixed after gains for oil and gas producers helped offset drops for Nvidia and other Big Tech companies on Wall Street.

CVS Health is a beaten-down dividend stock with solid support from Wall Street. Devon Energy's share price and dividend could increase if oil and gas prices rise. How would you like to get paid to sit back and watch a stock you own take off?

Wall Street's most watched gauge of investor anxiety rose to a three-week high on Friday as stock indexes sold off following a an upbeat jobs report that pushed back market expectations for further Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

BMO Capital Markets forecasts the S&P 500 will reach 6,700, reflecting a gain of 13.2%. Chief investment strategist Brian Belski said he and his team "remain resolutely bullish," but expect "performance and fundamentals will more closely match the historical norms -- namely, in the high-single digit/low-double-digit percentage range in 2025."

Asian shares are mixed after gains for oil-and-gas producers helped offset drops for Nvidia and other Big Tech companies on Wall Street.

Asian stocks are mixed after Wall Street’s mostly positive performance ahead of key U.S. inflation data that could influence the pace of the Federal Reserve’s rate cuts