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What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?

What is the Consumer Price Index(CPI)? The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the change in prices paid by consumers for a basket of goods and services. It is one of the most widely followed economic indicators, and it is used by investors to gauge inflation and make investment decisions. How is the CPI calculated? The CPI is calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS surveys households across the United States to collect data on the prices they pay for goods and services. This data is then used to create a "basket" of goods and services that represents the spending habits of the average American household. The BLS calculates the CPI by comparing the prices in the basket of goods and services in a given month to the prices in the same basket of goods and services in a base year. The base year is usually 2000. How does the CPI affect investing? The CPI is an important indicator of inflation. When the CPI rises, it means that the cost of living is incre...
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S&P 500 Close: Semis Surge as Software and Value Lag

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Photo by tommao wang on Unsplash 📅 September 18, 2026 · 08:09 PM EDT  |  Wall Street Daily Briefing Market Overview — September 18, 2026 US stocks closed with stark sector divergence on September 18, 2026, as capital rotated aggressively into semiconductor infrastructure while shedding enterprise software and classic defensive value positions. At the Wall Street close, market dynamics highlighted a distinct bifurcation in tech leadership. Semiconductor heavyweights powered ahead, led by Intel (INTC) soaring +7.67% to $108.80 and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) jumping +6.36% to $545.09 . Broad hardware momentum remained robust as NVIDIA (NVDA) advanced +2.54% to $219.34 alongside Broadcom (AVGO) climbing +2.29% to close at $347.30 . Conversely, non-hardware sectors faced localized selling pressure. Defensive heavyweight Verizon Communications (VZ) fell -2.87% to $48.33 , while enterprise software firm Salesforce (CRM) lost...
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Pre-Market: Mortgage Bonds Point to Early Pressure

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Photo by Andy Kennedy on Unsplash 📅 September 18, 2026 · 09:25 AM EDT  |  Wall Street Daily Briefing Pre-Market Snapshot US stock market open today is likely to see initial headwinds, with S&P 500 and NASDAQ futures trading modestly lower this morning. Overnight, Asian markets offered mixed signals, while European bourses largely tracked sideways. Concerns over mortgage bond deterioration, as highlighted by Wall Street experts, appear to be a primary drag, setting a cautious tone ahead of the opening bell. As today’s US session approaches, S&P 500 futures are tracking lower by 0.35% , hovering around the 5,305 level, while NASDAQ 100 futures register a steeper decline of 0.60% . Dow futures show a more contained dip, down roughly 0.20% . This pre-market weakness tracks against a backdrop of varied overnight performance: Asia's Nikkei 225 closed up 0.72% , but the Hang Seng fell 1.15% . European markets, specifically the Euro Sto...
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Hang Seng Gains: Alibaba Surges While Tech Diverges

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Photo by Alan Arseven on Unsplash 📅 September 18, 2026 · 03:41 AM EDT  |  Wall Street Daily Briefing Hong Kong Market Overview The Hong Kong stock market today displayed sharp internal divergence as heavyweight digital commerce platforms pulled ahead while select gaming and streaming titans experienced selling pressure. Session dynamics were primarily driven by rebalancing across mega-cap internet names alongside global fixed-income volatility following extended pressures on US Treasury yields. Capital flows across the Hong Kong session highlighted a distinct split within the broader technology space rather than a uniform directional sweep. Market participants navigated shifting macro sentiment as global bond benchmarks recorded notable historical stress. In equity action, Alibaba Group Holding (9988.HK) led major advancers with a prominent gain of +3.81% to close at $109.1 , backed by institutional rotation toward cash-generative ...
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S&P 500 Close: Chips Rally While Energy Drops

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Photo by isaac sloman on Unsplash 📅 September 17, 2026 · 08:08 PM EDT  |  Wall Street Daily Briefing Market Overview — September 17, 2026 At the Wall Street close on September 17, 2026, divergent capital flows highlighted a sharp split between semiconductor momentum and defensive profit-taking across traditional sectors. Chipmakers spearheaded gains as Intel surged +4.03% to close at $101.05 , while Nvidia added +0.82% to settle at $213.90 . Conversely, mega-cap financial and energy names faced heavy selling pressure, with Goldman Sachs falling -3.96% to $937.98 and Exxon Mobil dropping -3.54% to $163.32 . Meanwhile, IBM retreated -4.38% to $237.49 . This rotation unfolded against a dramatic macroeconomic backdrop where 10-year Treasury notes experienced their worst multi-year run in over 100 years, prompting income investors to lock in yields as the Federal Reserve maintains an elevated rate path across 2 main policy meeti...
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Pre-Market: Awaiting Fresh Catalysts

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Photo by David Vives on Unsplash 📅 September 17, 2026 · 09:13 AM EDT  |  Wall Street Daily Briefing Pre-Market Snapshot Today's US pre-market appears poised for a cautious open, with directional clarity constrained by the absence of specific real-time futures data. Global sentiment from overnight sessions is less transparent without concrete numbers, but investor focus undoubtedly remains on the implications of AI advancements and evolving market breadth. The "winner-take-all" debate underscored in recent headlines will likely frame early trading as participants assess where capital flows might pivot. Without explicit S&P 500, NASDAQ, or Dow futures data provided, the immediate pre-market picture lacks specific price signals. Similarly, a clear read on overnight performance from Asia and European markets, including the Nikkei, Hang Seng, KOSPI, and broader European indices, is unavailable, preventing a direct comparison or ...
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Hang Seng Slips as Oil Stocks Drop 2.9% in Asia

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Photo by lin zhaohai on Unsplash 📅 September 17, 2026 · 03:41 AM EDT  |  Wall Street Daily Briefing Hong Kong Market Overview The Hong Kong stock market today experienced a selective pullback driven by heavy losses in energy and consumer tech giants, despite modest stability in financial and pharmaceutical names. Profit-taking in blue-chip heavyweight PetroChina pushed broader sentiment downward as global interest rate expectations and oil market rebalancing weighed on regional equity valuations. During the September 17, 2026 session, market divergence defined trading across the Hong Kong stock market today. The headline index came under pressure as energy giant PetroChina (0857.HK) fell -2.86% to close at $9.51 , accompanied by food delivery giant Meituan (3690.HK), which slumped -2.48% to $72.6 . On the resilient side of the ledger, insurance titan AIA Group (1299.HK) gained +0.39% to land at $77.3 , while Sino Biopharmaceutica...
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Wall Street Close: Energy Surges as Tech Drops

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Photo by stevosdisposable on Unsplash 📅 September 16, 2026 · 08:09 PM EDT  |  Wall Street Daily Briefing Market Overview — September 16, 2026 US stocks displayed a stark thematic split at the Wall Street close on September 16, 2026. Capital aggressively pivoted toward traditional energy majors while taking profits in mega-cap technology and healthcare. Energy outperformed as ExxonMobil (XOM) climbed +2.57% to $169.32 and Chevron (CVX) gained +2.64% to $217.77 . Conversely, technology and consumer names dragged on broader market sentiment, with Amazon (AMZN) dropping -2.02% to $248.42 and Netflix (NFLX) sliding -3.01% to $77.90 . Semiconductor giant AMD bucked the tech weakness, rising +2.19% to close at $504.20 . Macro headlines dominated the trading session, confirming that the Federal Reserve rolled out its first interest-rate hike in 3 years. This rate decision forced market participants to reprice borrowing costs and dis...
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