SP
BravenNow
Stock futures are little changed ahead of consumer inflation report: Live updates
| USA | general | ✓ Verified - cnbc.com

Stock futures are little changed ahead of consumer inflation report: Live updates

#Stock futures #Inflation report #Consumer price index #Oil prices #Iran conflict #Amazon #Perplexity #AI scraping

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Stock futures traded near flatline ahead of key inflation data
  • S&P 500 and Dow closed lower while Nasdaq slightly gained in regular trading
  • Oil prices experienced dramatic swings amid Iran conflict fears
  • Amazon won temporary injunction against Perplexity's AI shopping agent
  • Investors seeking inflation clues after signs of weakening labor market

📖 Full Retelling

Investors and traders in U.S. stock markets kept stock futures near the flatline Tuesday night while awaiting February's consumer price index due Wednesday, seeking clues on the strength of the market and economy after signs of a weakening labor market have grown in recent months, as Amazon also won a temporary injunction against Perplexity to block its AI browser from scraping the online retailer's website. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 3 points, while S&P 500 futures added 0.07%, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.05%, reflecting cautious sentiment ahead of the critical inflation data that could influence Federal Reserve policy decisions. In regular trading, both the S&P 500 and 30-stock Dow closed lower, while the Nasdaq Composite inched up 0.01% on the day, with nine of the eleven S&P 500 sectors ending the session in negative territory, though communication services and technology posted narrow gains. Economists polled by Dow Jones anticipate that headline CPI rose 2.4% on a year-over-year basis, with investors particularly focused on whether inflation remains sticky enough to prompt further monetary tightening or shows signs of cooling sufficiently to allow policy easing. Oil prices have taken dramatic swings this week, surging to nearly $120 a barrel on Monday amid rising fears around the war in Iran before sliding on Tuesday on hopes that a group of nations would turn to emergency crude reserves, with West Texas Intermediate futures falling as low as $76.73 per barrel but closing down nearly 12% at $83.45 per barrel, while Brent crude lost more than 11% to settle at $87.80 a barrel. The legal battle between Amazon and Perplexity intensified as the e-commerce giant successfully obtained a temporary injunction against the AI startup, which had developed a browser extension allowing shoppers to ask an assistant to find items on Amazon and make purchases, with Amazon having sued Perplexity in November, alleging the startup took steps to 'conceal' its AI agents so they could continue to scrape the online retailer's website without approval.

🏷️ Themes

Market Volatility, Inflation Data, Geopolitical Tensions, Technology Legal Battles

📚 Related People & Topics

Consumer price index

Consumer price index

Statistic to indicate the change in typical household expenditure

A consumer price index (CPI) is a statistical estimate of the level of prices of goods and services bought for consumption purposes by households. It is calculated as the weighted average price of a market basket of consumer goods and services. Changes in CPI track changes in prices over time.

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

List of wars involving Iran

This is a list of wars involving the Islamic Republic of Iran and its predecessor states. It is an unfinished historical overview.

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗
Price of oil

Price of oil

Spot price of a barrel of benchmark crude oil

The price of oil, or the oil price, generally refers to the spot price of a barrel (159 litres) of benchmark crude oil—a reference price for buyers and sellers of crude oil such as West Texas Intermediate (WTI), Brent Crude, Dubai Crude, OPEC Reference Basket, Tapis crude, Bonny Light, Urals oil, Is...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Entity Intersection Graph

Connections for Consumer price index:

🌐 February 4 shared
🌐 Japan 2 shared
👤 Bank of Japan 2 shared
🏢 Federal Reserve 2 shared
🌐 Commercial policy 1 shared
View full profile

Mentioned Entities

Consumer price index

Consumer price index

Statistic to indicate the change in typical household expenditure

List of wars involving Iran

This is a list of wars involving the Islamic Republic of Iran and its predecessor states. It is an u

 Price of oil

Price of oil

Spot price of a barrel of benchmark crude oil

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

This news is important because the upcoming CPI report could significantly influence Federal Reserve policy decisions, affecting interest rates, market conditions, and economic outlook for investors and businesses. The Amazon-Perplexity legal battle also matters as it represents a growing conflict between AI companies and content platforms over data scraping rights, potentially setting precedents for the tech industry's future operations.

Context & Background

  • The Federal Reserve has been closely monitoring inflation data as it considers monetary policy decisions
  • Recent signs of a weakening labor market have added complexity to the inflation outlook
  • AI companies have faced increasing scrutiny and legal challenges over data scraping practices
  • Oil prices have been volatile due to geopolitical tensions, particularly around the Middle East
  • Amazon has previously taken legal action against companies it accused of scraping its website without permission

What Happens Next

The CPI report is scheduled for release on Wednesday, which will be closely watched by investors and economists for insights into inflation trends. The Federal Reserve will likely consider this data in its upcoming monetary policy decisions. Meanwhile, the legal battle between Amazon and Perplexity is expected to continue, with the injunction being a temporary measure that may be followed by further court proceedings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CPI report and why is it important?

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the average change over time in prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. It's crucial because it's a primary indicator of inflation, which directly influences Federal Reserve decisions on interest rates and monetary policy.

How might the CPI report affect stock markets?

If inflation is higher than expected, it could lead to concerns about further interest rate hikes, potentially causing market volatility. Conversely, if inflation shows signs of cooling, it might boost investor confidence and lead to market gains, particularly in interest-rate sensitive sectors.

What is the significance of Amazon's legal action against Perplexity?

This case highlights growing tensions between AI companies and content/platform owners over data scraping and intellectual property rights. It could set important precedents for how AI companies can legally gather and use data from other platforms, potentially impacting the development of AI technologies.

Why are oil prices so volatile recently?

Oil prices have been swinging dramatically due to geopolitical tensions, particularly around the Middle East, and speculation about potential releases from emergency crude reserves by nations. This volatility reflects uncertainty in global energy markets and potential supply disruptions.

}
Original Source
Stock futures traded near the flatline Tuesday night ahead of key consumer inflation data. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 3 points. S&P 500 futures added 0.07%, while Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.05%. Investors are awaiting February's consumer price index due Wednesday, seeking clues on the strength of the U.S. market and economy, particularly after signs of a weakening labor market have grown in recent months. Economists polled by Dow Jones anticipate that headline CPI rose 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. In regular trading, both the S&P 500 and 30-stock Dow closed lower, while the Nasdaq Composite inched up 0.01% on the day. Nine of the eleven S&P 500 sectors ended the session in negative territory, while communication services and technology posted narrow gains. "I think we're in a period where we had a bear market already in software, the Mag Seven, and in crypto. I think that's already taken out a lot of speculation," Tom Lee, head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, said Tuesday afternoon on CNBC's "Closing Bell." Oil prices have taken dramatic swings week to date, surging to nearly $120 a barrel on Monday amid rising fears around the war in Iran. Prices slid on Tuesday, first on hopes that a group of nations would turn to emergency crude reserves . Energy prices dropped once more on Tuesday after Energy Secretary Chris Wright wrote in a since-deleted social media post that the U.S. Navy successfully escorted tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said that the U.S. had not escorted a tanker through the key route. West Texas Intermediate futures fell as low as $76.73 per barrel, but closed down nearly 12% at $83.45 per barrel . Brent crude lost more than 11% to settle at $87.80 a barrel. "To me, the market is actually handling oil prices better ... we think higher oil prices are actually good for the U.S. stock market," Lee added, noting that the S&P 500 has climbed this week even...
Read full article at source

Source

cnbc.com

More from USA

News from Other Countries

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇺🇦 Ukraine