"Investors Await Key Inflation Data as Stock Market Fluctuates"

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed slightly lower as investors awaited consumer and producer price data to gauge the potential for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Boeing shares eased amid a Justice Department probe into the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 mid-air emergency. Chip stocks extended recent declines, while Equitrans Midstream edged up after EQT Corp announced plans to buy back its former unit. The upcoming CPI and PPI reports are expected to influence market movements, with some anticipating renewed inflation and others predicting deflation.