Markets Are Ignoring 8.5% Inflation Spike And Watching This Number Instead

Markets Are Ignoring 8.5% Inflation Spike And Watching This Number Instead

Share to Linkedin The stock market moved higher on Tuesday, even after consumer prices spiked 8. 5% in the 12 months ending in March, as some investors hope that inflation is showing signs of moderating, with core inflation—excluding volatile food and energy prices—coming in lower than expected. Stocks are rising on hopes that inflation may have peaked. Stocks ticked higher early on Tuesday: The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0. 8%, nearly 300 points, while the S&P 500 gained 1. 1% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite 1. 6%. Consumer prices for March increased 1. 2% from last month and 8. 5% annually, according to data released Tuesday by the Labor Department, rising at the fastest pace in four decades. While the overall inflation number was red-hot, markets got a boost from core inflation, which excludes volatile food and gas costs, rising just 0. 3% in March—a smaller increase than last month and lower than what economists were expecting. Some investors are betting that the lower core consumer price reading could mean inflation is showing signs of peaking, especially after prices also fell in several other recently spiking categories, such as used cars. Gas and food prices were among the largest