Traders are evaluating consumer price statistics that were released prior to the opening of trading. Thus, annual inflation in January slowed down to 6.4% from 6.5% a month earlier. Analysts had forecast the figure at 6.2%. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.5% in January.
At the close in the New York Stock Exchange, the Dow Jones fell 0.46%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.03%, the NASDAQ Composite index rose 0.57%.
The leading gainer among the Dow Jones index components today was Boeing Co, which gained 2.80 points or 1.30% to close at 218.45. Nike Inc rose 1.05 points (0.84%) to close at 126.20. Chevron Corp rose 1.31 points or 0.77% to close at 172.32.
The least gainers were The Travelers Companies Inc, which shed 3.47 points or 1.85% to end the session at 184.13. Coca-Cola Co rose 1.67% or 1.01 points to close at 59.59, while Home Depot Inc shed 1.58% or 5.10 points to close at 318.43.
Leading gainers among the S&P 500 index components in today's trading were IPG Photonics Corporation, which rose 11.56% to 125.55, Tesla Inc, which gained 7.51% to close at 209.25, and shares of Aptiv PLC, which rose 7.37% to end the session at 121.10.
Leidos Holdings Inc were the least gainers, shedding 5.42% to close at 95.25. Shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc shed 4.02% to end the session at 167.00. Arthur J Gallagher & Co lost 3.57% to 188.25.
Leading gainers among the components of the NASDAQ Composite in today's trading were Amesite Operating Co, which rose 81.62% to hit 0.51, Boxlight Corp Class A, which gained 39.47% to close at 0.56. as well as shares of United Insurance Holdings Corp, which rose 37.27% to close the session at 1.51.
Top Ships Inc was the least gainer, shedding 44.85% to close at 0.91. Shares of Mobiquity Technologies Inc lost 32.77% and ended the session at 0.35. Quotes Pathfinder Acquisition Corp fell in price by 31.61% to 4.24.
On the New York Stock Exchange, the number of depreciated securities (1581) exceeded the number of closed in positive territory (1446), while quotes of 111 shares remained virtually unchanged. On the NASDAQ stock exchange, 1,952 stocks fell, 1,691 rose, and 217 remained at the previous close.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which is based on S&P 500 options trading, fell 7.03% to 18.91.
Gold futures for April delivery added 0.11%, or 2.05, to $1.00 a troy ounce. In other commodities, WTI crude for March delivery fell 1.27%, or 1.02, to $79.12 a barrel. Brent oil futures for April delivery fell 1.14%, or 0.99, to $85.62 a barrel.
Meanwhile, in the forex market, the EUR/USD pair remained unchanged 0.16% to 1.07, while USD/JPY rose 0.49% to hit 133.05.
Futures on the USD index fell 0.10% to 103.14.