Wall Street paused for a breather Friday following a stronger-than-anticipated producer inflation report that once again caught investors off guard, echoing the heat of a similarly strong consumer inflation report earlier in the week.
The Producer Price Index (PPI) for January 2024 saw a 0.3% month-over-month increase, surpassing the projected 0.1% surge, while the Consumer Price Index (CPI) surged by 3.1% year-on-year, exceeding the forecasted 2.9%, highlighting the ongoing intensity of the inflation battle.
“The January inflation data vindicates the Fed’s wait-and-see approach,” Bank of America economist Stephen Juneau said in a note.
As a result, traders trimmed their expectations for Fed rate cuts, delaying the anticipated start to this summer. Yields surged higher, with the policy-sensitive two-year note yield climbing by over 10 basis points to reach 4.67%.
Friday's Performance In Major Indices, ETFs
The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLP), outperformed, up 0.5%, while the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLC) was the laggard, down 1.4%.
Friday's Stock Movers
Illustration created using artificial intelligence via MidJourney.
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