Bonds & Stocks
Treasury yields fell after the latest reading on US inflation reinforced bets the Federal Reserve will have room to cut interest rates at least twice this year. The S&P 500 wavered. The Nasdaq 100 lost 0.4%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2%. The yield on 10- year Treasuries fell three basis points to 4.23%.
Economy
US consumers unexpectedly pulled back on spending on goods like cars in January amid extreme winter weather, and a slowdown in services, if sustained, may raise concerns about the resilience of the economy. Inflation-adjusted consumer spending fell 0.5%, marking the biggest monthly decline in almost four years after a robust holiday season.
World
Donald Trump’s additional 10% tariffs on Chinese goods again brought geopolitical risks to the forefront of investors’ mind, prompting the biggest selloff in Chinese stocks in months. An index of mainland shares listed in Hong Kong slid 3.6%, the most since Oct. 15, while the onshore benchmark CSI 300 Index dropped 2%.