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Market Jitters Return as Cooler CPI Surprises Wall Street

A softer‑than‑expected U.S. Consumer Price Index reading sent a ripple through financial markets today, creating an unusual dynamic: good news on inflation, but renewed pressure on major stock indexes. A Cooling CPI, but a Nervous Market The latest CPI report showed inflation easing more than economists anticipated. Under normal circumstances, that would be a welcome sign—suggesting the Federal Reserve may have more room to consider rate cuts later in the year. But markets don’t always behave logically in the moment. Today, the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq all slipped as investors reassessed what the data means for corporate earnings, interest‑rate expectations, and the broader economic outlook. Why Stocks Reacted This Way Several factors contributed to the pullback: Profit‑taking after recent market highs Concerns that cooling inflation reflects slowing demand Uncertainty about the Fed’s next move , even with softer price pressures Sector rotation ...

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US holiday retail sales grow 3.1%, down from prior year -Mastercard



US retail sales rose 3.1% between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, rounding up a majority of the holiday sales for retailers, as shoppers looked for last-minute Christmas deals amid big promotions, a Mastercard report showed on Tuesday.

The increase is lower than the 3.7% growth Mastercard forecast in September, and has slumped from last year’s 7.6% as higher interest rates and inflation pressured consumer spending. Sales in the apparel and restaurant categories rose 2.4% and 7.8%, respectively, during the holiday shopping period, according to the Mastercard Spending Pulse report, while sales of electronics fell 0.4%.

Ecommerce sales grew at a slower pace of 6.3% from last year’s 10.6% as the popularity of online shopping came off pandemic highs, the report showed.

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