US stocks came off session lows on Thursday afternoon despite a new December inflation reading that came in slightly hotter than economists had expected, raising new questions about the Federal Reserve's path on interest rates.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) traded about 0.2% lower after the benchmark neared a new high on Wednesday, closing at its highest level since January 2022. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) was down 0.1% and the Nasdaq (^ ^IXIC) fell by 0.2% during Thursday's trading session.
Stocks struggled this week as investors counted down to the US consumer inflation reading for December. This reading showed a slightly larger jump than expected, as prices rose by 0.3% on a monthly basis and 3.4% on an annual basis. On a “core” basis, which excludes volatile food and energy categories, inflation rose 3.9% over the past year.
This reading was considered crucial for traders who have been increasingly calculating the odds of a “soft landing” – where inflation falls to 2% without an economic contraction – since the last CPI report.
Meanwhile, US Bitcoin ETFs (full list here) began trading on Thursday after the Securities and Exchange Commission gave regulatory approval on Wednesday.
Bitcoin (BTC-USD) held more than $46,000 per token, while rival ethereum (ETH-USD) jumped amid bets that the second-largest token is next to get the ETF's green light.
Ahead of its quarterly financial update on Friday, Citigroup (C) said it would take more than $3 billion in reserves and one-time expenses into the results. Q4 earnings season is crucial for stocks, given their poor performance so far this year.
He lives8 updates
Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events that move stock prices.
Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
More Stories
Bank of Japan decision, China PMI, Samsung earnings
Dow Jones Futures: Microsoft, MetaEngs Outperform; Robinhood Dives, Cryptocurrency Plays Slip
Strategist explains why investors should buy Mag 7 ‘now’