It seems like there’s little that may bother traders in the mean time.

The S&P 500 is on track for its finest week of the yr to this point, up greater than 2 p.c. That added to positive factors which have lifted the benchmark index greater than 10 p.c this yr, setting a sequence of file highs.

Different main indexes, just like the Dow Jones industrial common and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite, have not too long ago traded at or close to file highs, as have particular person corporations as diverse as Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase and Walmart. Shares of the social media firm Reddit jumped practically 50 p.c on their first day of buying and selling on Thursday, an indication that traders are looking forward to extra tech corporations to go public this yr.

The run has been fueled by a ferocious inflow of money: Buyers poured practically $60 billion into funds that purchase shares in the US for the week by March 13, a file for knowledge from EPFR International, which has been monitoring fund flows for greater than 20 years. A subsequent outflow for the week by Wednesday — weekly circulate numbers might be jumpy — did little to disrupt the momentum.

This week, the rally continued regardless of the Federal Reserve’s forecast on Wednesday that inflation would stay marginally hotter this yr than predicted just a few months in the past. In consequence, central financial institution officers anticipate rates of interest to come back down extra slowly in 2025 than beforehand foreseen, and solely narrowly maintained their outlook for 3 quarter-point cuts this yr.

Simply as a fast rise in rates of interest knocked the inventory market decrease in 2022, the expectation for decrease charges this yr has shaped a part of the case for shares to rise.

However the prospects for cuts have slowly been dimming, jolted by cussed inflation within the first two months of the yr. Buyers within the futures market had anticipated the Fed to chop charges as much as six occasions this yr, however have not too long ago come round to the central financial institution’s view that solely three cuts are extra doubtless.It hasn’t appeared to matter for the inventory market’s barnstorming rally.

For some traders, the bullishness is an indication of the Fed’s loosening grip on the destiny of monetary markets, with cash managers as an alternative homing in on affirmation that the economic system is buzzing and may proceed to take action even when charges stay elevated.

“It’s a pleasant transition we now have had from the necessity for the Fed to make cuts, to the economic system supporting itself, supporting valuations and supporting earnings,” stated Alan McKnight, chief funding officer at Areas Financial institution. “We’re transferring from a Fed-driven rally to an economic- and earnings-driven rally.”

For some purists, this has at all times been the case. If inflation had cooled extra rapidly, it might have most likely been an indication of a extra quickly slowing economic system, prompting a sequence of rate of interest cuts to assist it. Though the economic system remains to be cruising, inflation has met some resistance on its path again to the Fed’s goal of two p.c, nevertheless it has additionally contributed to sturdy earnings for the nation’s public corporations. In essence, the purists argue, the Fed has tailored its stance to excellent news for markets, moderately than investor optimism’s remaining beholden to Fed coverage.

Extra vital, traders’ foremost concern at first of the yr — that inflation might stay faster than the Fed would love, and even re-accelerate, because the economic system falters — is but to be realized.

“If inflation is a little bit sturdy as a result of the economic system is powerful, then that’s nonetheless broadly good for equities,” stated Seema Shah, chief world strategist at Principal Asset Administration. “As long as we aren’t speaking about an inflation resurgence, it’s pretty excellent news.”

In accordance with Binky Chadha, an fairness analyst at Deutsche Financial institution who predicted the inventory rally final yr whereas many have been nonetheless forecasting financial turbulence, traders’ expectation for the place charges will finish the yr is now the identical stage that was implied by futures markets in September. In the course of the intervening interval, the S&P 500 has soared, an indication of the inventory market’s resilience to charges remaining greater for longer.

To Mr. Chadha, which means the inventory market is “disengaging” from the Fed due to the power of the economic system.

Chief executives at U.S. corporations are rising extra optimistic, too, based on a recent survey by the Convention Board. Firms are growing the quantity of their very own inventory they’re shopping for again, a tactic that’s seen as serving to push shares greater. In one other signal of confidence, Meta, the guardian firm of Fb, introduced in February that it might start issuing dividends for the primary time.

Forecasts for earnings within the first quarter of the yr, which corporations will begin reporting in just a few weeks, have fallen, however they continue to be optimistic, with massive companies on track for a 3rd straight quarter of year-over-year revenue development.

Some analysts fear that the rosy outlook underpinning the rally might but disappoint. Regardless of rising confidence amongst chief executives, corporations have been guiding analysts to anticipate extra meager earnings development sooner or later. (Granted, that’s typically a gambit to set expectations low sufficient to make sure that they’ll outperform.) There are additionally indicators that buyers’ funds — the gas that powers the economic system — have gotten stretched. And with the presidential election looming, corporations might pull again from hiring till the uncertainty in regards to the final result passes.

“It might worsen from right here,” warned George Goncalves, chief macro strategist at MUFG Securities.

It’s a pullback that even market watchers like Mr. Chadha anticipate ultimately, simply not whereas economists, and the Fed, are revising their forecasts to account for the power of the economic system.

“Proper now, the rally goes on,” he stated.