Hopes of Slowdown in Rate Hikes Bolster Shares Ahead of US GDP

Hopes of Slowdown in Rate Hikes Bolster Shares Ahead of US GDP
A trader works on the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City on Dec. 14, 2022. Andrew Kelly/Reuters
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LONDON—Stocks firmed on Thursday as investors bet that central banks meeting next week will signal a slowdown or even a pause in interest rate hikes for later in the year to make recession less likely and ease pressure on corporate earnings.

Oil prices were steady after U.S. crude stocks rose less than expected, while gold hit a 9-month peak.