PARIS (Reuters) – The New York Stock Exchange opened lower on Tuesday after the release of mixed monthly data on U.S. inflation that showed an acceleration on a month but a slowdown on an annual basis, which could prompt the U.S. central bank to continue to raise, albeit moderately, its interest rates.

In early trading, the Dow Jones index lost 198.3 points, or 0.58%, to 34,047.63 points and the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 fell 0.56% to 4,114.12 points.

The Nasdaq Composite lost 0.67%, or 79.79 points, to 11,811.99.

One hour before the opening of Wall Street, the US Department of Labor indicated that the consumer price index (CPI) had risen to 0.5% in January after +0.1% in December (revised figure from -0.1%). Over one year, however, it posted a slowdown to +6.4% over one year, the weakest rate since October 2021, after peaking at +9.1% in June.

These figures should allow the US Federal Reserve (Fed) to continue its strategy of a moderate rate hike next month after the limited hike of a quarter of a point decided at the beginning of this month, against increases of 50 or 75 points. basic between May and December.

Economists fear, however, that the Fed will raise rates above the 5.1% peak it expected in December and hold them there for some time.

On the bond market, the yield on ten-year US Treasury bills rose nearly three basis points, to 3.74%, and that of two years by around eight points, to 4.61%.

In values, several technology and growth groups, sensitive to interest rates, are in the red, like Apple, which fell by 1.48% and Amazon, which dropped 1%.

Coca-Cola is stable (-0.02%) despite a profit forecast above expectations for this year.

Ford loses 0.76% after announcing a plan to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe over the next three years.

(Written by Claude Chendjou, edited by Blandine Hénault)

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