News Highlights: Top Global Markets News of the Day - Thursday at 5 PM ET

U.S. economy grew 3.0% in spring - and GDP looks set to repeat that feat in third quarter 
 

The last of three updates on U.S. growth in the second quarter showed the economy expanded at solid 3.0% annual pace - and there's no sign it's taken a big turn for the worse.

 
U.S. Ports Try Last-Ditch Effort to Force Dockworkers' Union to Bargaining Table 
 

Shipping employers are appealing to federal regulators ahead of threatened dockworker strike next week at gateways from Maine to Texas.

 
Fed's Rate Cut Is Jolting Small Businesses to Spend Again 
 

From restarting expansion plans to boosting marketing, some entrepreneurs are preparing for lower borrowing costs. Others say not so fast.

 
Stocks Trade Higher; Micron Jumps 
 

Stocks settled higher after several strong readings of economic data.

 
Jobless claims sink to 4-month low. Businesses aren't hiring - or firing - many people. 
 

The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits last week fell to a nearly four-month low of 218,000, reflecting the reluctance of businesses to cut jobs even though they're no longer hiring many new workers.

 
Durable-goods orders were flat in August, beating forecasts of a sharp decline 
 

Orders for U.S. durable goods were flat in August, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

 
Pending home sales inch up in August on slight improvement in housing affordability 
 

U.S. pending home sales rose 0.6% in August, as a big drop in mortgage rates prompted some home buyers to act.

 
China Is Assembling an Economic Bazooka, Piece by Piece 
 

China's central bank and its top political leaders appear to be abandoning a reluctance to act forcefully on the economy.

 
Hong Kong stocks lead global surge on reports of more China stimulus measures 
 

Hong Kong's equity market hit a one-year high and led a surge in global stocks as the China-stimulus-induced risk-asset rally received further propulsion

 
Bank of Mexico Cuts Interest Rates for Second Straight Time 
 

The Bank of Mexico cut its benchmark interest rate for the second time in two months and signaled the likelihood of further reductions as inflation eases amid weakness in the economy.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 26, 2024 17:15 ET (21:15 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.