U.S. stock indexes are drifting Thursday following a mixed set of earnings reports from Morgan Stanley, UnitedHealth Group and other big companies. The S&P 500 was up 0.2% in early trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 41 points,

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 Advance After Inflation Data Drives a Rally on Wall Street TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares mostly rose Thursday, following a rally on Wall Street driven by encouraging update on U.S. inflation.

Shares in Asia followed Wall Street higher Thursday as easing US core inflation kept alive the prospect of Federal Reserve rate cuts this year.

U.S. stocks are ripping higher Wednesday after getting a shot of adrenaline from an encouraging update on U.S. inflation. Strong profit reports from Wells Fargo and other big U.S. banks are also helping to launch indexes toward their best day in two months.