Market Update
Yen Edged Higher Amid Narrower Rate Differential Expectations, Nikkei 225 Stock Average Rebounded Nearly 2%
Akira Ito
03 Mar, 2025
Tokyo
Stock market indexes in Tokyo surged in Monday's trading following the rebound in tech stocks on Wall Street on Friday.
The Nikkei 225 stock average soared 1.7%, and the broader TOPIX advanced 1.8%, driven by the rise in tech and defense stocks.
The yen traded at 150.12 against the U.S. dollar amid rising expectations that the Bank of Japan will continue its rate-hike campaign at the end of its policy meeting later in the month.
However, mood in Tokyo was cautious amid threats of looming U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada from March 4 and additional tariffs on China shipments.
The yen retained an upward bias as the resurgent inflation and the possible delay in the Federal Reserve are likely to shrink the rate differential between Japan and the U.S.
The expectations of higher-for-longer interest rates in the U.S. are likely to ease the burden on the Bank of Japan in increasing rates rapidly in 2025, providing more headroom for stock market indexes in Japan.
Market sentiment has been cautious after softer-than-expected retail sales, industrial production, new home starts, and Tokyo-area inflation released last Friday divided investors about the future rate path.
Japan Indexes and Stocks
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average jumped 1.7% to 37,785.47, and the TOPIX advanced 1.8% to 2,729.56.
Tokyo Electron Ltd. increased 1.6% to ¥22,380.0, Advantest Corp. added 0.2% to ¥8,128.0, and Lasertec decreased 0.7% to ¥13,275.0.
Toyota Motor increased 3.9% to ¥2,795.0, Honda Motor inched higher 1.4% to ¥1,412.50, and Nissan Motor inched up 0.4% to ¥430.80.
Yen Edged Higher Amid Narrower Rate Differential Expectations, Nikkei 225 Stock Average Rebounded Nearly 2%
Akira Ito
03 Mar, 2025
Tokyo
Stock market indexes in Tokyo surged in Monday's trading following the rebound in tech stocks on Wall Street on Friday.
The Nikkei 225 stock average soared 1.7%, and the broader TOPIX advanced 1.8%, driven by the rise in tech and defense stocks.
The yen traded at 150.12 against the U.S. dollar amid rising expectations that the Bank of Japan will continue its rate-hike campaign at the end of its policy meeting later in the month.
However, mood in Tokyo was cautious amid threats of looming U.S. tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada from March 4 and additional tariffs on China shipments.
The yen retained an upward bias as the resurgent inflation and the possible delay in the Federal Reserve are likely to shrink the rate differential between Japan and the U.S.
The expectations of higher-for-longer interest rates in the U.S. are likely to ease the burden on the Bank of Japan in increasing rates rapidly in 2025, providing more headroom for stock market indexes in Japan.
Market sentiment has been cautious after softer-than-expected retail sales, industrial production, new home starts, and Tokyo-area inflation released last Friday divided investors about the future rate path.
Japan Indexes and Stocks
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average jumped 1.7% to 37,785.47, and the TOPIX advanced 1.8% to 2,729.56.
Tokyo Electron Ltd. increased 1.6% to ¥22,380.0, Advantest Corp. added 0.2% to ¥8,128.0, and Lasertec decreased 0.7% to ¥13,275.0.
Toyota Motor increased 3.9% to ¥2,795.0, Honda Motor inched higher 1.4% to ¥1,412.50, and Nissan Motor inched up 0.4% to ¥430.80.
China's Manufacturing Activities Rebounded In February, Mixue Group Soared 40% In HK Debut
Li Chen
03 Mar, 2025
Hong Kong
Stock market indexes in China and Hong Kong extended losses in the third consecutive week amid elevated international trade uncertainty.
The Hang Seng index decreased 0.2%, and the CSI 300 dropped 0.18% as investors reviewed the latest surveys on manufacturing activities.
The Purchasing Managers' Index for the manufacturing industry increased to 50.2 in February from 49.1 in January, according to an update released over the weekend by the National Bureau of Statistics.
A private survey of the manufacturing activities index expanded to 50.8 from 50.1 in January, confirming the rising activities in the sector, Caixin said in its monthly report on Monday.
Both surveys confirmed a rebound in activities, but the bounce has been milder than anticipated amid elevated trade tensions with the U.S.
Investors also looked ahead to the start of the National People's Congress on Wednesday, and lawmakers are expected to finalize the government target of fiscal spending, debt level, and economic growth in the current year.
Investors are anticipating greater clarity on the previously announced fiscal measures and an annual economic growth target of between 4% and 5%.
China Indexes and Stocks
The Hang Seng index decreased 0.2% to 22,894.14, and the CSI 300 index declined 0.2% to 3,884.60.
Tech stocks extended losses in Monday's trading as investors worried that the recent run-up in the sector may not be supported by business fundamentals.
Alibaba Group advanced 1.6% to HK $129.50, Tencent Holdings added 0.8% to HK $482.40, Baidu Inc. fell 0.5% to HK $83.05, and Meituan decreased 0.1% to HK $161.30.
Mixue Group soared more than 40% in its first day of trading to HK$285.80 after the company completed its public offering.
The bubble tea beverage chain operator priced its initial public offering at HK $202.50 per share, and the retail investor tranche of the offering was oversubscribed by 5,258 times, making it the most popular public offering ever in Hong Kong.
The company makes the bulk of its revenue by selling milk, coffee, and syrup to 45,000 stores in its global network.
China's Manufacturing Activities Rebounded In February, Mixue Group Soared 40% In HK Debut
Li Chen
03 Mar, 2025
Hong Kong
Stock market indexes in China and Hong Kong extended losses in the third consecutive week amid elevated international trade uncertainty.
The Hang Seng index decreased 0.2%, and the CSI 300 dropped 0.18% as investors reviewed the latest surveys on manufacturing activities.
The Purchasing Managers' Index for the manufacturing industry increased to 50.2 in February from 49.1 in January, according to an update released over the weekend by the National Bureau of Statistics.
A private survey of the manufacturing activities index expanded to 50.8 from 50.1 in January, confirming the rising activities in the sector, Caixin said in its monthly report on Monday.
Both surveys confirmed a rebound in activities, but the bounce has been milder than anticipated amid elevated trade tensions with the U.S.
Investors also looked ahead to the start of the National People's Congress on Wednesday, and lawmakers are expected to finalize the government target of fiscal spending, debt level, and economic growth in the current year.
Investors are anticipating greater clarity on the previously announced fiscal measures and an annual economic growth target of between 4% and 5%.
China Indexes and Stocks
The Hang Seng index decreased 0.2% to 22,894.14, and the CSI 300 index declined 0.2% to 3,884.60.
Tech stocks extended losses in Monday's trading as investors worried that the recent run-up in the sector may not be supported by business fundamentals.
Alibaba Group advanced 1.6% to HK $129.50, Tencent Holdings added 0.8% to HK $482.40, Baidu Inc. fell 0.5% to HK $83.05, and Meituan decreased 0.1% to HK $161.30.
Mixue Group soared more than 40% in its first day of trading to HK$285.80 after the company completed its public offering.
The bubble tea beverage chain operator priced its initial public offering at HK $202.50 per share, and the retail investor tranche of the offering was oversubscribed by 5,258 times, making it the most popular public offering ever in Hong Kong.
The company makes the bulk of its revenue by selling milk, coffee, and syrup to 45,000 stores in its global network.
India Movers: Foseco India, KSB Limited, Panasonic Energy, Rana Sugar, Sanofi India, Schaeffler India, Tata Chemicals, Thomas Cook India
Arun Goswami
03 Mar, 2025
Mumbai
Rana Sugars Limited jumped 5.8% to ₹14.40 after the sugar, distillery maker, and co-power generator reported a two-and-a-half-fold increase in earnings in the December quarter.
Standalone revenue increased to ₹399.1 crore from ₹340.1 crore, after-tax profit jumped to ₹14.2 crore from ₹5.5 crore, and diluted earnings per share rose to 92 paise from 36 paise a year ago.
Foseco India Limited decreased by 3.7% to ₹3,359.85 despite the metal casting company reporting a 30% increase in net income in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue advanced to ₹142.8 crore from ₹126.5 crore, net income increased to ₹19.5 crore from ₹16.3 crore, and diluted earnings per share rose to ₹30.61 from ₹25.54 a year ago.
Schaeffler India Limited dropped 3% to ₹2,960.45 despite the automotive and industrial component supplier reporting an increase in revenue and net income in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue increased to ₹2,170.8 crore from ₹1,904.7 crore, after-tax profit rose to ₹237.2 crore from ₹209.6 crore, and diluted earnings per share advanced to ₹15.2 from ₹13.4 a year ago.
The company proposed a cash dividend of ₹28 per share for the financial year 2025.
Sanofi India Limited fell by 0.9% to ₹4978 after the pharmaceutical company reported a slight increase in revenue and a 34% plunge from a year ago in quarterly profit.
Consolidated revenue advanced to ₹520.8 crore from ₹478.6 crore, net income dropped to ₹91.3 crore from ₹137.7 crore, and diluted earnings per share fell to ₹39.64 from ₹59.79 a year ago.
The recommended final dividend is ₹117 per share for the financial year 2025.
KSB Limited advanced 0.6% to ₹620.60, and the pumps and valves maker reported a 30% increase in net income in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue increased to ₹736.6 crore from ₹609 crore, after-tax profit rose to ₹73.1 crore from ₹54.9 crore, and diluted earnings per share advanced to ₹4.20 from ₹3.16 a year ago.
Panasonic Energy Co. Ltd. declined 3.7% to ₹332.50 after the battery maker reported a 47% drop in its earnings in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue declined to ₹74.30 crore from ₹75.42 crore, net income fell to ₹2.4 crore from ₹4.5 crore, and diluted earnings per share dropped to ₹3.2 from ₹6.03 a year ago.
Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. plunged 3.4% to ₹120.65 after the travel agency reported a slight increase in revenue and a 48% decline in profit in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue increased to ₹2,083 crore from ₹1,940.8 crore, after-tax profit dropped to ₹47.2 crore from ₹90.5 crore, and diluted earnings per share fell to ₹1.14 from ₹1.77 a year ago.
Tata Chemicals fell 2% to ₹762.40 after the chemistry company swung to a loss in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue declined to ₹3,618 crore from ₹3,786 crore, after-tax losses swung to ₹21 crore from a profit of ₹194 crore, and diluted losses per share swung to ₹2.08 from a profit of ₹6.20 a year ago.
India Movers: Foseco India, KSB Limited, Panasonic Energy, Rana Sugar, Sanofi India, Schaeffler India, Tata Chemicals, Thomas Cook India
Arun Goswami
03 Mar, 2025
Mumbai
Rana Sugars Limited jumped 5.8% to ₹14.40 after the sugar, distillery maker, and co-power generator reported a two-and-a-half-fold increase in earnings in the December quarter.
Standalone revenue increased to ₹399.1 crore from ₹340.1 crore, after-tax profit jumped to ₹14.2 crore from ₹5.5 crore, and diluted earnings per share rose to 92 paise from 36 paise a year ago.
Foseco India Limited decreased by 3.7% to ₹3,359.85 despite the metal casting company reporting a 30% increase in net income in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue advanced to ₹142.8 crore from ₹126.5 crore, net income increased to ₹19.5 crore from ₹16.3 crore, and diluted earnings per share rose to ₹30.61 from ₹25.54 a year ago.
Schaeffler India Limited dropped 3% to ₹2,960.45 despite the automotive and industrial component supplier reporting an increase in revenue and net income in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue increased to ₹2,170.8 crore from ₹1,904.7 crore, after-tax profit rose to ₹237.2 crore from ₹209.6 crore, and diluted earnings per share advanced to ₹15.2 from ₹13.4 a year ago.
The company proposed a cash dividend of ₹28 per share for the financial year 2025.
Sanofi India Limited fell by 0.9% to ₹4978 after the pharmaceutical company reported a slight increase in revenue and a 34% plunge from a year ago in quarterly profit.
Consolidated revenue advanced to ₹520.8 crore from ₹478.6 crore, net income dropped to ₹91.3 crore from ₹137.7 crore, and diluted earnings per share fell to ₹39.64 from ₹59.79 a year ago.
The recommended final dividend is ₹117 per share for the financial year 2025.
KSB Limited advanced 0.6% to ₹620.60, and the pumps and valves maker reported a 30% increase in net income in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue increased to ₹736.6 crore from ₹609 crore, after-tax profit rose to ₹73.1 crore from ₹54.9 crore, and diluted earnings per share advanced to ₹4.20 from ₹3.16 a year ago.
Panasonic Energy Co. Ltd. declined 3.7% to ₹332.50 after the battery maker reported a 47% drop in its earnings in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue declined to ₹74.30 crore from ₹75.42 crore, net income fell to ₹2.4 crore from ₹4.5 crore, and diluted earnings per share dropped to ₹3.2 from ₹6.03 a year ago.
Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. plunged 3.4% to ₹120.65 after the travel agency reported a slight increase in revenue and a 48% decline in profit in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue increased to ₹2,083 crore from ₹1,940.8 crore, after-tax profit dropped to ₹47.2 crore from ₹90.5 crore, and diluted earnings per share fell to ₹1.14 from ₹1.77 a year ago.
Tata Chemicals fell 2% to ₹762.40 after the chemistry company swung to a loss in the December quarter.
Consolidated revenue declined to ₹3,618 crore from ₹3,786 crore, after-tax losses swung to ₹21 crore from a profit of ₹194 crore, and diluted losses per share swung to ₹2.08 from a profit of ₹6.20 a year ago.
Sony Corp. Lifts Annual Outlook Driven by Gains in PlayStation and Music Businesses
Alexander Garcia
17 Feb, 2025
Miami
Sony Corp. surged 3.06% to $23.90 after the electronics and media company reported steady revenue and profit growth for the fiscal third quarter ending in December.
Total sales increased to ¥4.41 trillion from ¥3.75 trillion, net income rose to ¥373.74 billion from ¥363.92 billion, and earnings per diluted share climbed to ¥61.82 from ¥58.96 a year ago.
The company estimated full-year sales of ¥13.2 trillion ($87.6 billion) on the back of strong performance in its gaming and music business in the third quarter, compared to ¥13.02 trillion a year ago.
Sony also raised its outlook for annual operating profit to ¥1.34 trillion ($87.6 billion), a 2% increase from the previous financial year.
Business Segments
Sony reported significant increases in games and network services and music segments during the third quarter, but operating income in the pictures unit declined 7.6% to ¥34.0 billion.
Sales in entertainment, technology, and services (ET&S) plunged 31.2% to ¥704.5 billion, while in imaging and sensing solutions (I&SS) sales dropped 4.2% to ¥500.9 billion from the same quarter a year ago.
While revenue in the financial services division surged 406.7%, operating income declined 30.9% to ¥46.4 billion in the quarter.
For fiscal year 2024, the company estimated total operating income of ¥1.34 trillion, compared to ¥1.21 trillion in the previous year.
Sony expects annual sales growth in all segments except for the financial services and the entertainment, technology, and services (ET&S) units.
Sales in ET&S are estimated to decline to ¥2.42 billion from ¥2.45 billion a year ago, impacted by slower sales of televisions and smartphones, while financial services is expected to fall to ¥1.30 billion from ¥1.77 billion a year earlier.
PlayStation
The number of monthly active users across PlayStation (PS) platforms in December increased 5% compared to the same month of the previous year, reaching 129 million accounts, the highest number in PS history.
Total play time also increased 2% year-on-year, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of annual growth.
In November, Sony released a beta version of a cloud streaming feature on the PlayStation Portal remote player.
PS Plus Premium subscribers can now play over 120 PS5 game titles on the PS Portal streamed directly from cloud servers without going through a PS5 console.
In December, Sony’s ASTRO BOT received prestigious game awards in four categories, including Game of the Year and Best Family Game.
In addition, the live service game Helldivers 2, released in February last year, won the best ongoing game and best multiplayer game awards.
Helldivers 2's large update, Omens of Tyranny, released in December 2024, has also been well received by users.
Sony plans to release games such as the major title Ghost of Yōtei and the sequel to the popular title Death Stranding, and so expects further expansion in earnings from first-party software.
Music
During the quarter, new albums from artists such as Tyler, the Creator, and ATEEZ became hits.
Bad Bunny's new album, released from Rimas Entertainment on January 5, 2025, has become a big hit as well, capturing number one on the Billboard 200 and making him the fastest male artist to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify.
At the 67th Grammy Awards held on February 2, 2025, Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER won the award for Album of the Year.
Beyoncé, who has been nominated for ninety-nine Grammys over the course of her career, the most of any artist, was nominated in eleven categories this time, and she won three categories, including Album of the Year.
Pictures
In motion pictures, there is still some impact of the strikes, such as the postponement to the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027, of the theatrical releases of the next Spider-Man and Jumanji movies.
However, production activity is recovering, and the production of new shows, which was impacted by the strikes, has almost stabilized.
At Crunchyroll, streaming of the second season of the anime series Solo Leveling, produced by Aniplex, began last month, and it has become a big hit in many countries.
Additionally, going forward, Sony aims to further strengthen its engagement with anime fans around the world, including through the scheduled release of Crunchyroll Manga, a digital comic service for paid subscribers in North America.
Imagining and Sensing Solutions (I&SS)
The global smartphone market continued to slowly recover during the quarter, and mobile sensor sales were essentially in line with the company’s expectations.
Sales of new mobile sensor products increased 15% for the nine-month period ending in the third quarter, compared to the same period last year.
Regarding automotive sensors, there has been a slowdown in the growth of the electric vehicle market, especially in the U.S. and Europe, but demand from EV manufacturers in China remained strong.
Furthermore, Sony has expanded its business by shifting toward higher pixel count sensors in what is a small-proportion production as compared to overall segments.
The market for interchangeable lens digital cameras has seen the single-lens reflex camera market shrink at a faster rate than the growth of the mirrorless camera market, which is driven by Sony.
The interchangeable lens market is continuing to grow steadily, with the combined market size for cameras and lenses exceeding ¥1.20 trillion in 2024.
The imaging market requires the integration of multiple advanced technologies, such as optics, mechatronics, and image processing.
With regard to this, Sony expects to generate a high market share and profitability, relying on its image sensors and 5G communications technology to meet the needs of creators.
Sony Financial Group
Sony is preparing to spin off and list Sony Financial Group as a separately traded company in October 2025, and the deal’s details will be announced in late May.
Sony Corp. Lifts Annual Outlook Driven by Gains in PlayStation and Music Businesses
Alexander Garcia
17 Feb, 2025
Miami
Sony Corp. surged 3.06% to $23.90 after the electronics and media company reported steady revenue and profit growth for the fiscal third quarter ending in December.
Total sales increased to ¥4.41 trillion from ¥3.75 trillion, net income rose to ¥373.74 billion from ¥363.92 billion, and earnings per diluted share climbed to ¥61.82 from ¥58.96 a year ago.
The company estimated full-year sales of ¥13.2 trillion ($87.6 billion) on the back of strong performance in its gaming and music business in the third quarter, compared to ¥13.02 trillion a year ago.
Sony also raised its outlook for annual operating profit to ¥1.34 trillion ($87.6 billion), a 2% increase from the previous financial year.
Business Segments
Sony reported significant increases in games and network services and music segments during the third quarter, but operating income in the pictures unit declined 7.6% to ¥34.0 billion.
Sales in entertainment, technology, and services (ET&S) plunged 31.2% to ¥704.5 billion, while in imaging and sensing solutions (I&SS) sales dropped 4.2% to ¥500.9 billion from the same quarter a year ago.
While revenue in the financial services division surged 406.7%, operating income declined 30.9% to ¥46.4 billion in the quarter.
For fiscal year 2024, the company estimated total operating income of ¥1.34 trillion, compared to ¥1.21 trillion in the previous year.
Sony expects annual sales growth in all segments except for the financial services and the entertainment, technology, and services (ET&S) units.
Sales in ET&S are estimated to decline to ¥2.42 billion from ¥2.45 billion a year ago, impacted by slower sales of televisions and smartphones, while financial services is expected to fall to ¥1.30 billion from ¥1.77 billion a year earlier.
PlayStation
The number of monthly active users across PlayStation (PS) platforms in December increased 5% compared to the same month of the previous year, reaching 129 million accounts, the highest number in PS history.
Total play time also increased 2% year-on-year, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of annual growth.
In November, Sony released a beta version of a cloud streaming feature on the PlayStation Portal remote player.
PS Plus Premium subscribers can now play over 120 PS5 game titles on the PS Portal streamed directly from cloud servers without going through a PS5 console.
In December, Sony’s ASTRO BOT received prestigious game awards in four categories, including Game of the Year and Best Family Game.
In addition, the live service game Helldivers 2, released in February last year, won the best ongoing game and best multiplayer game awards.
Helldivers 2's large update, Omens of Tyranny, released in December 2024, has also been well received by users.
Sony plans to release games such as the major title Ghost of Yōtei and the sequel to the popular title Death Stranding, and so expects further expansion in earnings from first-party software.
Music
During the quarter, new albums from artists such as Tyler, the Creator, and ATEEZ became hits.
Bad Bunny's new album, released from Rimas Entertainment on January 5, 2025, has become a big hit as well, capturing number one on the Billboard 200 and making him the fastest male artist to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify.
At the 67th Grammy Awards held on February 2, 2025, Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER won the award for Album of the Year.
Beyoncé, who has been nominated for ninety-nine Grammys over the course of her career, the most of any artist, was nominated in eleven categories this time, and she won three categories, including Album of the Year.
Pictures
In motion pictures, there is still some impact of the strikes, such as the postponement to the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027, of the theatrical releases of the next Spider-Man and Jumanji movies.
However, production activity is recovering, and the production of new shows, which was impacted by the strikes, has almost stabilized.
At Crunchyroll, streaming of the second season of the anime series Solo Leveling, produced by Aniplex, began last month, and it has become a big hit in many countries.
Additionally, going forward, Sony aims to further strengthen its engagement with anime fans around the world, including through the scheduled release of Crunchyroll Manga, a digital comic service for paid subscribers in North America.
Imagining and Sensing Solutions (I&SS)
The global smartphone market continued to slowly recover during the quarter, and mobile sensor sales were essentially in line with the company’s expectations.
Sales of new mobile sensor products increased 15% for the nine-month period ending in the third quarter, compared to the same period last year.
Regarding automotive sensors, there has been a slowdown in the growth of the electric vehicle market, especially in the U.S. and Europe, but demand from EV manufacturers in China remained strong.
Furthermore, Sony has expanded its business by shifting toward higher pixel count sensors in what is a small-proportion production as compared to overall segments.
The market for interchangeable lens digital cameras has seen the single-lens reflex camera market shrink at a faster rate than the growth of the mirrorless camera market, which is driven by Sony.
The interchangeable lens market is continuing to grow steadily, with the combined market size for cameras and lenses exceeding ¥1.20 trillion in 2024.
The imaging market requires the integration of multiple advanced technologies, such as optics, mechatronics, and image processing.
With regard to this, Sony expects to generate a high market share and profitability, relying on its image sensors and 5G communications technology to meet the needs of creators.
Sony Financial Group
Sony is preparing to spin off and list Sony Financial Group as a separately traded company in October 2025, and the deal’s details will be announced in late May.
S&P 500 Falls 3% and Nasdaq Composite Plunges 5% In February Driven By White House Chaos
Barry Adams
28 Feb, 2025
New York City
Stocks pulled back for the second week in a row, and benchmark indexes are set to close down in February amid heightened worries linked to the state of the U.S. economy.
The S&P 500 index edged up 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced a fraction, but both indexes are set to close down for the week and the month.
The S&P 500 index is down 2% and the Nasdaq by 5% as of the close of Thursday, as investors worried about resurgent inflation and a weakening economic backdrop.
In February, the S&P 500 index is down nearly 3%, and the Nasdaq Composite has lost 5.4% after initial euphoria surrounding the presidential election waned.
On the economic front, the Personal Consumption Expenditure price index eased to 2.5% in January from 2.6% in December, the Commerce Department reported Friday.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, slowed to 2.6% from 2.8%.
On a monthly basis, headline and core inflation increased 0.3% from the previous month.
Commodities, Currencies, Indexes, Yields
The S&P 500 index increased 0.1% to 5,870.30, the Nasdaq Composite edged down 0.1% to 18,522.64, and the Russell 2000 index was down 0.3% to 2,133.30.
The yield on 2-year Treasury notes edged lower to 4.06%, 10-year Treasury notes decreased to 4.26%, and 30-year Treasury bonds declined to 4.53%.
WTI crude oil decreased $0.80 to $69.55 a barrel, and natural gas prices edged lower by $0.03 to $3.90 a thermal unit.
Gold decreased by $25.48 to $2,850.32 an ounce, and silver edged down by $0.16 to $31.06.
The dollar index, which weighs the US currency against a basket of foreign currencies, increased 0.02 to 107.27 and traded at a two-year high.
U.S. Stock Movers
Redfin Corporation dropped 11.5% to $6.76 after the real estate broker reported a wider-than-expected loss in its latest quarter.
Rocket Lab USA dropped 12% to $17.50, and the company reported sharply higher revenue in the fourth quarter.
Revenue soared 121% to $132 million, net loss expanded to $52.4 million from $50.5 million, and diluted losses per share were nearly unchanged at 10 cents.
Nvidia Corporation declined 1% to $118.76 and extended a two-day loss to 10%, despite the artificial intelligence company reporting a surge in revenue and earnings in its latest quarter.
Dell Technologies dropped 4.4% to $103.17, despite the personal computer and server maker reporting a rise in demand driven by the need for artificial intelligence applications.
Autodesk Inc. dropped 3% to $271.66, despite the design software developer's estimated annual sales increase in 2025, and announced its plans to cut its workforce by 1,350.