Consumers are stocking up on essentials as dockworkers' labor dispute threatens to disrupt supply chains and raise prices nationwide.

Disruptions at major U.S. ports could delay shipments and raise prices on consumer goods, Biden Administration won't intervene.

After a keenly awaited meeting, the US central bank decided to lower borrowing costs for the first time since the start of the pandemic by opting for a half-point reduction.

Bets on the Federal Reserve slashing borrowing costs by as much as half a percentage point have jumped in recent days, with observers suggesting officials want to front-load an expected series of reductions.

Since taking office in December, the budget-slashing Milei has applied a drastic austerity program in a bid to rein in chronic inflation and decades of government overspending.

32% blame inflation on corporations, edging Biden policies (30%) and Trump policies during pandemic (20%)

The Federal Reserve is widely seen cutting rates at next week's meeting but debate surrounds whether it will be 25 or 50 basis points, with some arguing that going for the bigger option could suggest decision-makers are worried.

A 2022 report by United Way found that, of the 8.8 million households in Florida, four million were either in poverty or unable to afford basic living costs

As a rollercoaster week drew to a close, debate centred on the Federal Reserve's plans for interest rates when it meets in less than a fortnight, with most observers expecting a 25-basis-point cut.

The sight of investors running to the hills sparked memories of the brief but tumultuous sell-off at the start of August that was partly fuelled by a big miss on US jobs creation.

With the much-hyped earnings report from bellwether chip titan Nvidia now in the rearview mirror, traders are once again able to concentrate on economic matters and the Federal Reserve's plans for interest rate cuts.

While a Federal Reserve interest rate cut next month is baked into prices, traders are also keenly awaiting next week's crucial non-farm payrolls figures, which are seen as key to determining how big the central bank goes.

Traders were also keeping an eye on developments in the Middle East after a flare-up in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah that fanned fears of an escalation in the region.

The yen also advanced after the head of Japan's central bank told lawmakers that officials could hike interest rates again if the economy and inflation perform as expected, weeks after a surprise increase caused turmoil on markets.

Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney, Singapore, Seoul, Mumbai, Bangkok and Manila rose Thursday, though Shanghai, Wellington, Jakarta and Taipei slipped.

Tokyo's Nikkei returned from a long weekend to lead the rally and top the levels touched before last Monday's rout -- its worst since 1987 -- helped by a weaker yen and a Bank of Japan pledge not to hike interest rates further.

After a painful collapse fuelled by a big miss on US jobs creation, equities managed to bounce back over the following days and ended Friday on a healthy note.

Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Mumbai, Taipei and Jakarta were in the red, along with London, Paris and Frankfurt.

The upbeat mood comes at the start of a busy week for traders, with the central banks of the United States and Japan making policy decisions, a key US jobs report due on Friday and megacaps releasing their earnings.

Joe Biden's decision to drop out of the presidential election race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris had little major impact on sentiment, analysts said, though there is much debate about who she chooses as her running mate.

The European Central Bank is keeping options "wide open" for September, president Christine Lagarde said, after holding interest rates steady Thursday in the wait for more evidence that inflation was on the right track.

A smaller-than-expected read on the June consumer price index ramped up bets on the Federal Reserve lowering borrowing costs in September, and possibly again before January.

The advances tracked another record on Wall Street on a holiday-shortened day, while national elections in Britain and France are also on the radar over the next few days.

After a run of above-forecast data and warnings from central bank officials suggesting monetary policy would remain elevated for some time, the remarks provided fresh optimism that a reduction -- and possibly two -- was on the way before the end of the year.

Asian equity markets advanced following a positive lead from Wall Street, though there is speculation of a possible pull-back on profit-taking and concerns the recent tech-fuelled rally may have run too far.

Goldman Sachs told that to their clients in a note.

The city saw price increases above the national average in May, according to a report by WalletHub

Monthly inflation in economically troubled Argentina came in at 4.2 percent in May, the lowest in two-and-a-half years, mainly due to a drop in consumption, the INDEC statistics agency said Thursday.

A poll by the Associated Industries of Florida showed these concerns topped others like unlawful immigration

Job vacancies fell far more than expected in April, to below 8.1 million, which Briefing.com said was the lowest level since 2021.