On Thursday, July 10, 2024, investors and economists will eagerly anticipate the release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for June. This crucial economic indicator is expected to provide valuable insights into inflation trends and shape future Federal Reserve interest rate policy.
According to various sources, including Bloomberg data, headline inflation for June is projected to decelerate slightly from May's 3.3% annual rise, with a predicted 3.1% increase. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, is anticipated to have risen by 0.2% monthly and maintained a yearly growth rate of 3.4%.
The Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently testified before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee on July 10, acknowledging that economic growth remains solid but expressing concerns about the potential risks of rising unemployment coinciding with inflation above its 2% target.
Meanwhile, stocks continued their upward trend on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 surpassing the significant milestone of 5600 for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was also climbing back toward its May highs.
Inflation data from June is expected to provide valuable context for Powell's future monetary policy decisions. If the numbers come in as anticipated, they could further bolster rate cut expectations, potentially boosting stocks even higher. However, any significant deviation from forecasted figures might lead to increased uncertainty and potential market volatility.
Oil futures also experienced a rise on Wednesday following the Energy Information Administration's report of a 3.4 million barrel drawdown in crude stocks for the previous week, adding to the oversized decline of 12.2 million barrels seen in the week before.
Stay tuned for further updates as these critical economic indicators are released and their implications unfold.