Investors embraced risk as Fed Chair Powell refrained from countering easing expectations before the pre-FOMC blackout, boosting the Russell 2000 by 3%, outperforming S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100. Treasury yields extended gains; the 2-year yield dropped to 4.54%, and the 10-year yield to 4.20%. Conversely, the return of China's Caixin manufacturing PMI to 50.7 failed to excite markets. The Hang Seng Index fell 1.3% to 16,830, its lowest since November 2022. The dollar weakened broadly amid falling Treasury yields, reaching 146.40. Gold extended its advance on Monday during Asian early trading, reaching 2,135 at one ... (full story)