Stock market today: Another rally leaves Wall Street with a 15.9% gain for first half of the year

News Snapshot:

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street blazed to another rally to cap a winning week, month and first half of the year after reports suggested pressure on inflation may be easing. The S&P 500 jumped 1.2% Friday to reach its highest level since April 2022. It surged 15.9% in the first half of the year. The Dow rose 0.8% and the Nasdaq composite added 1.4%. The market has rallied through 2023 in part because the economy has been able to avoid a long-predicted recession. Wall Street hopes inflation is easing enough for the Federal Reserve to soon halt its hikes...