US stocks slid on Monday on the heels of a losing week, with bitcoin (BTC-USD) soaring again as investors counted down to crucial inflation data that will test bets on interest-rate cuts. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) slipped roughly 0.3%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) shed 0.3%. The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) was down about 0.3% after a sharp slide for techs on Friday.
Stocks have faltered after February's jobs report, which showed hiring remains strong even as unemployment beat estimates — a mixed picture that added little certainty to the debate on rate cuts. Now the market is bracing for a last big test before the Federal Reserve's March 20 policy meeting. The Consumer Price Index report on Tuesday is front of mind after Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed wants to be more confident that inflation is cooling before easing up on borrowing costs. Given that, a surprise rise would undermine the optimism for a Fed policy shift that has boosted stock
Source: News Formal (newsformal.com)
US Stocks Bitcoin Inflation Data Interest-Rate Cuts Dow Jones Industrial Average S&P 500 Nasdaq Composite Federal Reserve Policy Meeting Consumer Price Index Jerome Powell