DJIA up 223.79 points (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - New York, 19 Aug - US shares were trading higher after last week's solid gains, kicking off a week that will focus mainly on central bank talk.

Investors have virtually written off an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve in September as a dead certainty and are now assessing prospects for further cuts before year end.

Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari told the WSJ today a rate cut next month was a possibility as the labor market had started to show signs of weakening too much.

'The balance of risks has shifted, so the debate about potentially cutting rates in September is an appropriate one to have,' he said.

Yesterday Mary Daly, president of the San Francisco Fed, told the Financial Times recent economic data had given her 'more confidence' inflation was under control.

Ahead of the Fed's next policy meeting in September attention this week is on minutes from the Fed's July meeting due on Wednesday, followed by the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium starting Thursday, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell due to speak Friday.

At 1712 GMT, the Dow Jones was up 223.79 points, or 0.55%, at 40,883.55 points.

The S&P 500 was 29.56 points, or 0.53%, higher at 5,583.81 points.

The Nasdaq was gaining 94.73 points, or 0.53%, at 17,725.50 points.

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(RADIOCOR) 19-08-24 19:30:23 (0433) 5 NNNN