DJIA up 139.90 points (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - New York, 15 Jul - US shares were trading higher to test more records as investors digested the failed assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump this weekend.

The so-called 'Trump trade' came back center-stage after the attempt on Trump's life boosted expectations the Republicans will win the presidential elections against incumbent Joe Biden.

Data from betting marketplace PredictIt indicated his chances have ticked higher to more than 65%, putting him in a strong position with just over three months to go before the vote.

The Republican National Convention, expected to rubber stamp Trump as presidential candidate, is scheduled to begin today.

Shares in Trump Media & Technology, the parent company of Truth Social, surged 35% in early trade while bitcoin prices also spiked. Trump is a supporter of bitcoin.

On the earnings front, this week will see quarterly updates from the likes of Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson and Netflix. Today BlackRock reported record assets under management of 10.7 trillion dollars in the second quarter, sending its shares higher, while Goldman Sachs said its second quarter earnings had jumped 150%, sending shares up 1.9%.

Elsewhere Macy's fell sharply after it said its board had terminated talks with two activist investors to take the retailer private.

Investors will be closely monitoring a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell later today for signs on the trajectory of interest rates after recent data pointed to a slowdown in inflation.

At the end of last week. Chicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee said mild June inflation data had made him more confident lower interest rates were closer to hand.

At 1835 GMT, the Dow Jones was up 139.90 points, or 0.36%, at 40,140.80 points.

The S&P 500 was 12.66 points, or 0.23%, higher at 5,628.01 points.

The Nasdaq was gaining 64.49 points, or 0.35%, at 18,459.50 points.

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(RADIOCOR) 15-07-24 19:42:30 (0652) 5 NNNN