One inflation print, and the tape stepped up a notch at the open

Twenty minutes into the open, I'm eyeing two numbers beside a cooling coffee. The S&P 500 sits at 7,695.99, +0.33%, and the Nasdaq at 26,936.98, +0.52%. Against my 04:40 brief, that's +0.45%p for the S&P 500 and +0.55%p for the Nasdaq.

One print took a little weight off rates

I'll pick one thread. Last night's August PCE came in at 3.4% year over year, core at 3.0%, both under expectations. The pressure for more tightening eased and Treasury yields calmed. The rate-sensitive Nasdaq climbing more fits that story. By sector, biotech is strong while self-driving and fintech lag, so it isn't a broad lift. The dollar quietly perked up: USD/KRW at 1,359.56 (+0.37%), dollar index 101.37 (+0.17%).

The Korean session, already finished (9/30 close), gave KOSPI -0.48% and KOSDAQ +0.72%. KOSPI shut slightly lower on jitters ahead of the inflation data, and the US tape went against that jitters, with the number easing them. My public holdings show Microsoft +30.6%, NVIDIA +8.1%, Freeport-McMoRan +6.4% and Amazon -13.9%. That's accumulated record, not today's move.

Six hours and twenty minutes to the close. I'll watch first whether the opening gains hold into the afternoon and whether the calmer yields stay put. I'm also watching whether the dollar's head-lift grows and whether biotech strength spreads. It's quarter-end, so the close may look unusual. This is a paper log, not advice.