 The Dow is sharply higher on rate cut optimism, and as earnings season revs up, however, tech stocks are faltering today and weighing on the tech-heavy Nasdaq. Investors are confident that the Fed will be lowering interest rates by the end of its September meeting. As of this morning, markets were pricing in a 100% chance of an interest rate cut in September per the CME FedWatch tool. That is up from a 70% chance a month ago.