Wall Street stocks end tad lower after hot inflation data ahead of Nvidia earnings

On Aug 26, Wall Street indexes ended marginally lower as a hotter-than-expected US inflation reading weighed on investors ahead of Nvidia's upcoming earnings. The Commerce Department reported annual US inflation climbed 3.7% in the 12 months through July, slightly above expectations. The economy expanded 1.5% in the second quarter.

This fresh data added complexity to the Federal Reserve's policy outlook, heightening expectations for the upcoming meeting of Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh on Aug 28. While the latest reading did not tip the balance for the September meeting, persistent data in the same vein could pressure the Fed to act, according to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management chief economic strategist Ellen Zentner.

The central bank's next scheduled meeting is in September, a historically weak month for equities, with a 38.1% probability of an interest rate hike as per the CME FedWatch tool. Despite the risks, the underlying economic environment remains robust, with companies' earnings looking strong, said Goldman Sachs Asset Management head of US small and midcap investing Greg Tuorto.

Nvidia shares dropped 1.6% before their key quarterly report, which could refuel concerns about the sustainability of the AI boom. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike saw shares surge 2% ahead of its second-quarter results, due after the closing bell. Among S&P 500 components, healthcare stocks faced the steepest declines, down 1%. Healthcare stocks like Moderna and Merck also saw significant movement.

Meta Platforms led gains among megacaps after settling a dispute with US states over alleged harm to children, agreeing to pay up to US$18 billion and make changes to Facebook and Instagram. Intuit's shares slipped 3.2% after the TurboTax maker forecast annual revenue below expectations. J.M. Smucker climbed 4.3% after the coffee maker forecast a smaller-than-anticipated decline in annual sales.

Iran and Oman reportedly reached agreements on their respective shares of the Strait of Hormuz and its revenue, potentially alleviating concerns over high oil prices, government debt, and inflation expectations. Treasury yields surged to multi-year highs last week but retreated after the Treasury Department announced support measures.