US stocks closed higher for a fourth consecutive session on Monday, extending last week’s rally to levels not seen in two weeks with support from increasing optimism that inflation has peaked. The Dow Jones added over 200 points, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq gained 1.1% and 1.3%, respectively. Equities advanced as investors eagerly awaited tomorrow’s CPI report, expected to show that inflation slowed for a second consecutive month to 8.1% in August. Hopes that the Federal Reserve will not have to engage in restrictive policy for an extended period pressured the dollar and supported crude prices, lifting energy shares to be among the best performers of the session. Also, Apple outperformed other tech stocks amid uplifting orders after the release of new products last week. In the meantime, investors also await retail sales and industrial production due later in the week, the final big releases ahead of the Fed’s September decision.