Stock Market Today: What’s Next for Berkshire Hathaway

Government bonds are rallying. Stock futures are rising in early trading, continuing a weekslong winning streak. Gold prices have ticked higher.

One reason bond yields keep falling: Weak inflation readings in Europe add to the case that major central banks are done raising rates and might be on the path toward lowering them. Yesterday, a formerly hawkish Fed official endorsed an extended pause on rate moves.

Investors are also digesting Tuesday’s death of Berkshire Hathaway titan Charlie Munger, and tributes for the legendary investor are rolling in. A big question: What comes next for Berkshire?

U.S. stock futures inched higher. Contracts tied to the S&P 500, Dow industrials and Nasdaq-100 each rose. The benchmark S&P 500 is on pace to end November with its best month since July 2022.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to around 4.311%, down from 4.335% yesterday. It started the month above 4.8%.

Gold traded at its highest level since May. Futures for the precious metal extended recent gains to trade above $2,040 a troy ounce.

The Cboe Volatility Index, known as Wall Street’s “fear gauge,” continued to fall. Now solidly below 13, the VIX is trading near its lowest levels of this year.

Up ahead: Earnings from Hormel Foods, Foot Locker and Dollar Tree are due before markets open. Salesforce will report after the close.