Stock futures are little changed as investors await key inflation data: Live updates

Traders work on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) floor on August 08, 2024 in New York City.

Spencer Platt | Getty Images

U.S. stock futures were little changed Monday night as investors await this week’s key inflation data.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 19 points, or 0.05%. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.02% and 0.01%, respectively.

The regular session was a choppy one for the major averages, which struggled to build on the comeback rally at the end of last week. The S&P 500 ended flat, eking out a gain of just 0.23 points. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.21%. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.36%.

Investors are now turning their attention to a pair of inflation reports that are due out over the next two days, on consumer and producer prices. The data could give an uncertain market some direction after last week’s wild moves following a disappointing jobs report, as well as the unwind of the yen carry trade, rattled investors.

The major averages staged a huge comeback late last week, following a violent rout on Monday when the S&P 500 posted its worst day since 2022.

“Market’s got a little oversold last week, but on things like percentage of names above their 50-day moving average, we got not oversold at all, which just suggests we really didn’t see a true flush,” Cameron Dawson, investment chief at NewEdge Wealth, told CNBC’s “Closing Bell” on Monday.

The producer price index — a measure of wholesale prices that’s due out Tuesday — is expected to show a monthly gain of 0.2% in July, in line with the previous month’s reading, according to Dow Jones consensus estimates.

The consumer price index that’s expected out Wednesday is anticipated to show an increase of 0.2% last month, up from a 0.1% decline in the prior month.

Later this week, retail sales data could garner some attention after the latest jobs report revived fears of slowing growth, and put the consumer under the microscope.

Elsewhere, corporate earnings season continues with results from major retail bellwethers. Home Depot‘s is due out Tuesday.

Evercore’s Hyman says the economy is not in a recession but is slowing

Economic growth is trending toward recession but not there yet, according to Evercore ISI’s chair and head of research Ed Hyman.

The firm’s proprietary company survey of volume and prices fell to 47.6 over the past week, near traditional recession readings around 45. On the survey scale, 100 represents strong activity and zero represents weak.

“So we’re not there,” Hyman said of recession. He noted that state sales tax receipts are “suggesting both growth slowing and inflation cooling.”

—Jeff Cox

Retail sales data could be more important this week, investor says

The retail sales data could be more important this week than the inflation reports, given the revived fears around slowing growth, according to Cameron Dawson, investment chief at NewEdge Wealth.

“Because we think that there’s a greater risk for downside to growth than there is a risk for upside to inflation, we think retail sales is actually more important,” Dawson told CNBC’s “Closing Bell” on Monday.

“If retail sales falls off, then we might know that the labor market could be weaker than maybe some of the headline data suggests,” Dawson continued.

To be sure, a surprisingly hot inflation print in either consumer or producer prices could still result in a surge of volatility, particularly in the bond market, she noted.

— Sarah Min

Here’s what economists are expecting in the inflation data this week

A pair of inflation reports due out over the next two days, on consumer and producer prices, could give an uncertain market some direction.

The July producer price index — a measure of wholesale prices that’s set for release Tuesday — is expected to show a monthly gain of 0.2% last month, according to economists surveyed by Dow Jones. That’s in line with the previous month’s reading.

The consumer price index that’s expected out Wednesday is anticipated to show an increase of 0.2% last month, consensus estimates show. That’s up from a 0.1% decline in the prior month.

— Sarah Min