U.S. stocks edged lower on Tuesday as investors bide their time until a key inflation report sheds light on the path forward for interest rates.
In morning trade, all three major indices reversed the previous session's gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) moved down 0.7%, or more than 250 points. The benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell about 0.6%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) fell roughly 0.3%.
Stocks were subdued ahead of the release of the consumer price index on Wednesday, seen as a key point for the market facing a slower next phase after a strong first quarter.
Investors are increasingly less confident the Federal Reserve will deliver three rate cuts this year, given the continued strength in the US economy. This has intensified the focus on the CPI axis for March, and any sign that inflation has started to cool again will be seen as a call for a June policy change.
Meanwhile, dim rate-cut hopes helped push the 10-year Treasury ( ^TNX ) yield near a five-month high — another potential headwind for stocks, with the 5% level seen as a major point of concern. The benchmark yield fell around 5 basis points to trade at 4.4% on Tuesday.
At the same time, rising metals prices have fueled concerns about a feed-through effect on inflation. Copper (HG=F), a key industrial input, was up about 0.7% in early Tuesday trading, prompting talk of a new bull market. Gold (GC=F) rose above $2,380 an ounce, extending its rally to hit another fresh record.
Another catalyst on the horizon is the start of the first-quarter earnings season, which kicks off in earnest on Friday with results from the likes of Citigroup ( C ), JP Morgan ( JPM ) and Wells Fargo ( WFC ).
live6 updates