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Stocks primarily ease as yields increase; investors weigh rate cut outlook

Stock indexes primarily dipped on Monday, while U.S. Treasury 10-year yields touched 14-month highs as a durable US economy and relentless inflation prompted investors to weigh the possibility that the Federal Reserve may pause its relieving cycle.

The U.S. dollar index struck its highest level in more than 2 years. The

Nasdaq fell

, while the benchmark S&P 500 bounced off a two-month low to finish with a minor gain.

Financiers anxiously await Wednesday's U.S. Customer Price Index reading. Any benefit surprises might feed worries that the Fed may pause its rate cuts. A Reuters survey of economic experts provides a typical forecast for an annual increase of 2.9%, up from November's. 2.7%, and for a regular monthly boost of 0.3%.

U.S. producer rates data is due on Tuesday.

On Friday, the December work report showed 256,000. workers were contributed to U.S. nonfarm payrolls, the greatest. increase considering that March and well above expectations for a rise of. 160,000.

Investors also fret whether inflation could pick up as a. outcome of policies on tariffs, migration and taxes of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration.

Markets are pricing in about 27 basis points of cuts from. the Fed this year, with a 52.9% possibility for a June cut.

It'll be touch and go for the next number of days till we. get the inflation news out of the way, stated Peter Cardillo,. chief market economic expert at Spartan Capital Securities in New. York.

The Fed has actually become more hawkish at this time, and. financiers are thinking about the possibility that the U.S. might have. seen the end of rate cuts in the meantime, Cardillo added.

The next Fed policy conference is scheduled for Jan. 28-29.

The benchmark 10-year note yield touched a. 14-month high of 4.805% and was last up 1.6 basis points at. 4.79%.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose. 358.67 points, or 0.86%, to 42,297.12, the S&P 500 rose. 9.18 points, or 0.16%, to 5,836.22 and the Nasdaq Composite. fell 73.53 points, or 0.38%, to 19,088.10.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe. also fell 2.07 points, or 0.25%, to 831.79. The STOXX 600. index dropped 0.55%.

The fourth-quarter U.S. incomes reporting season also gets. under way today with outcomes anticipated from some of the. greatest U.S. banks consisting of JPMorgan Chase.

The concern investors are grappling with is what's more. essential - strong business incomes, which originate from a strong. economy, or lower inflation, which comes from a weaker economy,. said Oliver Pursche, senior vice president, consultant for. Wealthspire Advisors in Westport, Connecticut.

Most financiers would prefer a strong economy with. somewhat raised inflation, he stated.

Helping both the Dow and S&P 500 was a 3.9% gain in. UnitedHealth Group shares, President Joe Biden's. administration proposed 2026 repayment rates for Medicare. Benefit strategies run by private insurance providers, which would lead to a. 2.2% increase in payments.

The dollar index, which determines the greenback against a. basket of currencies, rose 0.26% to 109.94. Earlier in the. session it rose to its highest in more than 2 years, peaking. at 110.17 and contributing to its recent rally.

The euro was down 0.23% at $1.022. Against the. Japanese yen, the dollar compromised 0.03% to

157.64.

A jump in energy rates added to financier unease over. inflation.

Oil rates climbed about 2% to a four-month high as. traders expected wider U.S. sanctions on Russian oil would force. buyers in India and China to look for other providers.

U.S. crude rose $2.25 to settle at $78.82 a barrel. and Brent increased to $1.25 to settle at $81.01.

With the dollar getting, gold fell 0.9% to $2,664.49. per ounce. Gold typically has a hard time to compete for financier money. in a high-yield, high-dollar environment.

(source: Reuters)