"Inflation Concerns Rattle Stock Market: Dow Jones Wobbles, Fed Rate Cut Timing in Focus"

U.S. stocks opened lower as the S&P 500 and Dow Jones retreated from record highs following a report showing a faster-than-expected increase in wholesale prices, raising concerns about potential delays in Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts. The PPI report indicated a 0.3% rise in wholesale prices, exceeding economists' expectations, leading to a sharp increase in Treasury yields and the U.S. Dollar Index. Additionally, housing starts fell 14.8% in January, while technology stocks, including Applied Materials and Tesla, showed strength in premarket trading.