By Pratyush Thakur (Reuters) -Shares of major U.S. homebuilders rose in early trading on Thursday as the Federal Reserve's rate-cut cycle is expected to ease pressure on mortgage rates, driving demand for new homes.

The US Federal Reserve is all but certain to cut interest rates on Wednesday for the first time in more than four years, a significant move likely to ripple through global financial markets.

U.S. bank stocks rose on Thursday, a day after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 50 basis points, which is expected to reduce deposit costs and alleviate pressure on borrowers. Elevated interest rates have weighed on loan growth and consumer spending this year,

Wall Street stocks dipped Wednesday after the Federal Reserve announced a half a percentage-point interest rate cut and its chair promised a "careful" approach to lowering rates following progress in