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Opening: Softer inflation lifts all three major indexes; Cisco weighs on Nasdaq

2026-08-14·newswire-us-stock-052001
Opening: Softer inflation lifts all three major indexes; Cisco weighs on Nasdaq.

U.S. stocks opened higher Thursday as international oil prices fell and traders digested the latest inflation data and a large batch of corporate earnings. The Dow rose 0.21%, the S&P 500 gained 0.21% and the Nasdaq advanced 0.13%. Cisco was a major drag among individual stocks.

Its latest quarterly results fell short of market expectations, sending the shares down about 7%. Cerebras and Coherent also fell after reporting earnings overnight. Cerebras plunged 15%, while Coherent declined 4.4%. Brent crude futures fell 2% to $87.04 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude futures also fell 2%, to $81.32 a barrel.

Traders were weighing the opposing effects of weaker oil demand and the continuing escalation of the U.S.-Iran conflict. Wall Street received another U.S. inflation reading Thursday. The July producer price index, which measures the cost of raw-material purchases by wholesalers, was flat month over month. Economists had expected a 0.2% monthly increase.

Excluding the more volatile food and energy categories, core PPI rose 0.2% month over month, slightly below the 0.3% market expectation. The weaker-than-expected PPI report came a day after U.S. consumer price index data met market expectations. July CPI rose 0.1% month over month, in line with expectations.

Moderate inflation boosted the S&P 500, which recorded its first higher close in three trading sessions, while traders lowered the probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike in September. With energy prices still elevated, moderate U.S. inflation gives the Federal Reserve more room to keep interest rates unchanged.

Richard Flax, chief investment officer at Moneyfarm, said: “The latest report gives the Federal Reserve enough room to maneuver. If officials decide not to raise rates in September, they have data to support that decision.

Given the oil-price shock we experienced earlier, this inflation report is not bad.” José Torres, a senior economist at Interactive Brokers, said: “Even so, the market consensus still leans toward a Federal Reserve rate hike in October or December.

Policymakers need time to assess the various signals showing whether the economy is running too hot or too cold in relation to the central bank’s dual mandate.” Across the Atlantic, the Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.2%.

Asian markets closed mixed: South Korea’s KOSPI surged 3.6% into bull-market territory; mainland China’s CSI 300 fell 0.57%; Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.16%; and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.23%.

#Stocks #Fed #Oil #Earnings #Nasdaq

Full text

Opening: Softer inflation lifts all three major indexes; Cisco weighs on Nasdaq

U.S. stocks opened higher Thursday as international oil prices fell and traders digested the latest inflation data and a large batch of corporate earnings. The Dow rose 0.21%, the S&P 500 gained 0.21% and the Nasdaq advanced 0.13%. Cisco was a major drag among individual stocks. Its latest quarterly results fell short of market expectations, sending the shares down about 7%. Cerebras and Coherent also fell after reporting earnings overnight. Cerebras plunged 15%, while Coherent declined 4.4%. Brent crude futures fell 2% to $87.04 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude futures also fell 2%, to $81.32 a barrel. Traders were weighing the opposing effects of weaker oil demand and the continuing escalation of the U.S.-Iran conflict. Wall Street received another U.S. inflation reading Thursday. The July producer price index, which measures the cost of raw-material purchases by wholesalers, was flat month over month. Economists had expected a 0.2% monthly increase. Excluding the more volatile food and energy categories, core PPI rose 0.2% month over month, slightly below the 0.3% market expectation. The weaker-than-expected PPI report came a day after U.S. consumer price index data met market expectations. July CPI rose 0.1% month over month, in line with expectations. Moderate inflation boosted the S&P 500, which recorded its first higher close in three trading sessions, while traders lowered the probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike in September. With energy prices still elevated, moderate U.S. inflation gives the Federal Reserve more room to keep interest rates unchanged. Richard Flax, chief investment officer at Moneyfarm, said: “The latest report gives the Federal Reserve enough room to maneuver. If officials decide not to raise rates in September, they have data to support that decision. Given the oil-price shock we experienced earlier, this inflation report is not bad.” José Torres, a senior economist at Interactive Brokers, said: “Even so, the market consensus still leans toward a Federal Reserve rate hike in October or December. Policymakers need time to assess the various signals showing whether the economy is running too hot or too cold in relation to the central bank’s dual mandate.” Across the Atlantic, the Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.2%. Asian markets closed mixed: South Korea’s KOSPI surged 3.6% into bull-market territory; mainland China’s CSI 300 fell 0.57%; Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.16%; and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.23%.

U.S. stocks opened higher Thursday as international oil prices fell and traders digested the latest inflation data and a large batch of corporate earnings. The Dow rose 0.21%, the S&P 500 gained 0.21% and the Nasdaq advanced 0.13%.

Cisco was a major drag among individual stocks. Its latest quarterly results fell short of market expectations, sending the shares down about 7%.

Cerebras and Coherent also fell after reporting earnings overnight. Cerebras plunged 15%, while Coherent declined 4.4%.

Brent crude futures fell 2% to $87.04 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude futures also fell 2%, to $81.32 a barrel. Traders were weighing the opposing effects of weaker oil demand and the continuing escalation of the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Wall Street received another U.S. inflation reading Thursday. The July producer price index, which measures the cost of raw-material purchases by wholesalers, was flat month over month.

Economists had expected a 0.2% monthly increase. Excluding the more volatile food and energy categories, core PPI rose 0.2% month over month, slightly below the 0.3% market expectation.

The weaker-than-expected PPI report came a day after U.S. consumer price index data met market expectations.

July CPI rose 0.1% month over month, in line with expectations. Moderate inflation boosted the S&P 500, which recorded its first higher close in three trading sessions, while traders lowered the probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike in September.

With energy prices still elevated, moderate U.S. inflation gives the Federal Reserve more room to keep interest rates unchanged.

Richard Flax, chief investment officer at Moneyfarm, said: “The latest report gives the Federal Reserve enough room to maneuver. If officials decide not to raise rates in September, they have data to support that decision. Given the oil-price shock we experienced earlier, this inflation report is not bad.”

José Torres, a senior economist at Interactive Brokers, said: “Even so, the market consensus still leans toward a Federal Reserve rate hike in October or December. Policymakers need time to assess the various signals showing whether the economy is running too hot or too cold in relation to the central bank’s dual mandate.”

Across the Atlantic, the Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.2%. Asian markets closed mixed: South Korea’s KOSPI surged 3.6% into bull-market territory; mainland China’s CSI 300 fell 0.57%; Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.16%; and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.23%.

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