U.S. stocks dipped on Thursday as a jump in the prior session cooled, while investors eyed the most recent corporate earnings and gauged economic data to determine the path of Federal Reserve rate cuts.

Even as trading and dealmaking surge, lending growth is muted.

But the grand machinery keeping Wall Street moving is just picking up steam. That's because, deterred by regulatory uncertainty and higher borrowing costs, U.S. corporations have mostly sat on the sidelines in recent years when it came to buying competitors or selling themselves.

U.S. stocks ripped higher Wednesday following a shot of adrenaline from an encouraging update on U.S. inflation. Strong profit reports from Wells Fargo and other big U.S. banks also helped launch indexes to their best day in two months.

US stocks surged higher Wednesday after an encouraging inflation report and blockbuster profits for some of America’s biggest banks.

U.S. stocks are rallying Wednesday after Wall Street and financial markets worldwide got a shot of adrenaline from an encouraging update on U.S. inflation. Strong profit reports from the biggest U.S.

Most U.S. stocks rose following an encouraging update on inflation, but drops for Eli Lilly and some other influential stocks kept indexes in check