"Investors Brace for Impact: Stock Market Holds Steady as Inflation Data Looms"

Stocks were little changed as investors awaited key US inflation data and a week filled with retail earnings reports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed about 0.2%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite traded flat. The upcoming October Consumer Price Index report will be closely watched by the Federal Reserve for interest rate decisions. Concerns about the US government's finances and a potential shutdown loom. Retail earnings will provide insight into consumer spending, with a divergence expected among companies within the sector. OPEC says oil demand remains strong despite recent downward pressure on prices. Morgan Stanley predicts the S&P 500 to end 2024 at 4,500, while Goldman Sachs expects rate cuts by the Federal Reserve starting in the fourth quarter of 2024.