Stock Market Today: Stocks Struggle Ahead of February CPI Report
The main indexes had trouble getting off the ground Monday as Wall Street waits for tomorrow's inflation update.


Stocks were shaky to start the week, with the main indexes spending the majority of Monday in negative territory. Investors are on edge ahead of tomorrow morning's release of the February Consumer Price Index (CPI), especially after recent hotter-than-anticipated inflation readings pushed back expectations for the Federal Reserve's first interest-rate cut.
The February CPI "should alleviate concerns that inflation is reaccelerating after the January data," writes Stephen Juneau, economist at BofA Securities, in a note to clients.
Juneau expects the headline CPI to rise 0.4% month-over-month – quicker than January's 0.3% increase – due to rising gas prices. But core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, is believed to be up 0.3% from January to February, below the prior month's 0.4% reading.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
But tomorrow's CPI reading is not the only inflation update on this week's economic calendar. Indeed, the latest retail sales data and the Producer Price Index (PPI) will both be released Thursday morning.
This onslaught of data comes ahead of next week's Fed meeting. According to CME Group's FedWatch Tool, futures traders are currently pricing in a 55% chance of the first quarter-point rate cut occurring in June, up from 42% one month ago.
Snap, Meta tumble after Trump talks TikTok
In single-stock news, social media stocks Snap (SNAP, -4.2%) and Meta Platforms (META, -4.4%) sold off after former President Donald Trump seemingly reversed his stance on China-based short-form video platform TikTok.
Speaking on CNBC's "Squawk Box," Trump, who tried unsuccessfully to ban TikTok in 2020, said he still believes the app is a national security threat, but without it "you can make Facebook [which is owned by Meta Platforms] bigger and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people along with a lot of the media."
Trump's comments come as the U.S. House of Representatives is expected this week to vote on a bill that will give TikTok's parent company ByteDance six months to divest the platform or face a complete ban. Lawmakers are concerned that China is using TikTok is gather data on its users, though ByteDance has denied the accusations.
MicroStrategy pops as Bitcoin soars
Elsewhere, MicroStrategy (MSTR) shot up 4.1% after the software company said it bought 12,000 bitcoins in the two weeks ended March 10. MSTR now owns roughly 205,000 bitcoins. Bitcoin, for its part, traded above the $72,000 level for the first time ever.
As for the main indexes, the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.4% to 16,019 and the S&P 500 slipped 0.1% to 5,117. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, edged up 0.1% to 38,769 as UnitedHealth Group (UNH) popped 2.7%. At roughly $490 a share, UNH has the greatest weighting of all 30 stocks in the price-weighted Dow.
Related content
- Biden Calls for Doubling Capital Gains Tax
- If You'd Put $1,000 Into Adobe Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have Today
- The Reddit IPO Is Almost Here: Should You Buy Reddit Stock?
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

With over a decade of experience writing about the stock market, Karee Venema is the senior investing editor at Kiplinger.com. She joined the publication in April 2021 after 10 years of working as an investing writer and columnist at a local investment research firm. In her previous role, Karee focused primarily on options trading, as well as technical, fundamental and sentiment analysis.
-
The Surprising Truth About Loneliness and Longevity
We've all heard about the epidemic of loneliness that can shorten lives and make retirement miserable. But there's more to the story.
-
The Dollar Index Is Sliding. Is Your Portfolio Prepared?
The Dollar Index Is Sliding. Is Your Portfolio Prepared? The dollar's fall has been troubling because inflation appears to be constrained and the economy has been strong. Here's what it means for investors.
-
The Dollar Index Is Sliding. Is Your Portfolio Prepared?
The Dollar Index Is Sliding. Is Your Portfolio Prepared? The dollar's fall has been troubling because inflation appears to be constrained and the economy has been strong. Here's what it means for investors.
-
Seven Financial Considerations When Downsizing for Retirement
With prices going up on everything, you may be looking for a cheaper place to live. To truly evaluate costs, take a hard look at taxes and intangibles.
-
I Have Plenty of Money: Why Do I Need a Long-Term Care Plan?
Long-term care planning, whether through insurance or self-funding, is crucial not only for financial protection but also to preserve family relationships and reduce the emotional and logistical burdens on loved ones.
-
The GENIUS, CLARITY, and Anti-CBDC Acts: What Bitcoin Investors Need to Know
Movement on the crypto front at the federal level has the potential to usher in substantial change. Here's what it means for your portfolio.
-
Wellness Stocks to Invest in Now
Breakthroughs that help us live longer, healthier lives can also create opportunities for investors.
-
Three Steps for Evaluating a Downsize in Retirement: A Financial Planner's Guide
Unless you think things through, you could end up with major (and costly) regrets. To make the right choice, base it on the three keys to retirement happiness.
-
Worried About Your Retirement Income? Four Questions to Ask Yourself, From a Financial Planner
If you're nearing or in retirement and stressing about your retirement income (so many of us are), consider taking some time to think about these four issues.
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Step Back From New Highs
Investors, traders and speculators continue the low-volume summer grind against now-familiar uncertainties.