Wall Street ends tad lower after hot inflation data, ahead of Nvidia earnings

U.S. stock markets closed slightly lower on Wednesday, following a hotter-than-expected US inflation reading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.21%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.02%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.08%. This performance occurred just before AI leader Nvidia's earnings were set to be released. In July, the U.S. inflation rose to 3.7%, slightly above expectations.

The economy grew 1.5% in the second quarter. The latest data added complexity to the Federal Reserve's policy outlook, heightening expectations for upcoming economic information.

Futures traders will pay close attention to Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's speech at the Jackson Hole symposium on Friday. While this meeting didn't alter the balance for the September meeting, consistent data supporting a similar trend could prompt the Fed to reconsider its stance. Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, stated that the central bank's decision process remains uncertain.

The probability of a rate hike at the upcoming Fed meeting stands at 38.1%, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

Despite the market's slight downturn, some companies are showing promising results. Nvidia shares fell 1.6% ahead of its quarterly update. If the AI firm's report is less than stellar, it could reignite doubts about the AI boom's durability. Meanwhile, cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike's shares rose 2% ahead of its Q2 results, which are scheduled to be released after the market closes.

In the S&P 500, healthcare stocks lagged, declining 1%. Moderna fell 5.8%, while Meta gained nearly 1.1% after agreeing to pay up to US$18 billion to address claims of harm to children on Facebook and Instagram. Apple also gained 1.1%, while Intuit fell 3.2% after reporting annual revenue below expectations.