For the past 18 months, U.S. stock markets have experienced an exceptional performance. The S&P 500, a broad-market index, has surged by around 17% year to date, following a 24% increase in 2023. This year, the benchmark has achieved 36 all-time highs in both intraday and closing figures.Recently, several key economic data releases have fallen short of estimates, prompting some economists and financial experts to suggest that the Federal Reserve should begin lowering the benchmark lending rate starting in S ...