Stocks are headed for the best week of 2024, with the S&P 500 on track for a 4% gain, while the Nasdaq 100 is up more than 5%.

Short-term U.S. interest rates are likely to be lower on Inauguration Day in 2025 than they are on Election Day, and that means the U.S. Federal Reserve almost certainly will continue to cut the benchmark federal funds rate — not just this week but at its December meeting as well.