The Economic Times·2026-03-13 14:57Economic Data and Market Reaction - The US stock market is rising due to the release of Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation data, which is the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge [1][3][4] - Headline PCE increased by 0.3% month-over-month, while Core PCE rose by 0.4% month-over-month, indicating stable inflation readings that reduce the risk of aggressive rate hikes [3][4] - The second estimate for U.S. GDP growth in Q2 was revised down to 0.7% quarter-over-quarter, suggesting a potential slowdown in the U.S. economy [5] Small-Cap Stocks Performance - The Russell 2000 index is leading the market rally, rising by 1.16%, as small-cap stocks tend to outperform when lower interest rates are anticipated [7][26] - Nearly 70% of U.S. stocks are trading higher, indicating broad market participation beyond just large-cap technology stocks [8][26] S&P 500 Index Reshuffle - An upcoming reshuffle of the S&P 500 index will add companies connected to data centers, optical networking, and computing infrastructure, reflecting the growing dominance of technology and AI-driven industries [11][15] - The reshuffle is expected to trigger significant trading volumes as index funds and ETFs rebalance their portfolios [15][24] Commodity Prices Impact - Oil prices remain elevated, with WTI crude at $94.48 per barrel and Brent crude at $96.02 per barrel, which can influence inflation expectations and Federal Reserve interest-rate decisions [20][27] - Gold prices have slightly declined to around $5,094 per ounce, indicating a rotation of funds from safe-haven assets back into equities as stock markets strengthen [17][27] Active Stocks in the Market - High-profile companies driving trading activity include NVIDIA, trading at $184.12 (+0.54%), Intel at $46.27 (+2.25%), and Micron Technology, which surged by 4.66% [21][22][27] - Other actively traded stocks include Nokia (+4.55%), MARA Holdings (+12.84%), and NIO (+5.14%), while Immutep Ltd. has dropped over 80% [23][27]