A cooler-than-expected December producer inflation report failed to ignite lasting gains on Wall Street Tuesday, reflecting lingering concerns about persistently high inflation among investors.
Early session advances across major indices faded into modest losses by midday trading in New York, as market participants exercised caution ahead of Wednesday’s pivotal Consumer Price Index report and key fourth-quarter earnings from top Wall Street banks.
The Producer Price Index rose 3.3% year-over-year in December, accelerating from November’s 3% increase but missing the 3.4% forecast. On a monthly basis, producer prices climbed 0.2%, slowing from November’s 0.4% rise and falling short of the 0.3% consensus estimate.
Core PPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, increased 3.5% annually, matching November’s pace but undershooting expectations of 3.8%. On a month-to-month basis, core inflation stagnated, showing zero growth compared to November’s 0.2% increase, and coming in below forecasts for a 0.3% …
Full story available on Benzinga.com