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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...

Wall Street's Mixed Signals: S&P 500 Dips 0.07% as Energy Surges 1.92% Amid Geopolitical Jitters

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📅 May 18, 2026 · 08:09 PM EDT  |  Wall Street Daily Briefing S&P 500 7,403.05 ▼ 0.07% NASDAQ 26,090.73 ▼ 0.51% Dow Jones 49,686.12 ▲ 0.32% VIX 17.82 ▼ 3.31% Market Overview — May 18, 2026 Yesterday, US stocks presented a nuanced picture. The S&P 500 edged down 0.07% to 7403.05, and the NASDAQ Composite fell 0.51% to 26090.73, indicating a tech sector pullback. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a gain of 0.32%, closing at 49686.12, suggesting resilience in traditional industrial names. On May 18, 2026, Wall Street navigated a session marked by cautious trading, with major indices diverging. The S&P 500, closing at 7403.05 , experienced a slight dip of 0.07%,...

AI Boom's Crossroads: Yields, Geopolitics, and a Tech Giant's Plunge Ahead of US Open

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📅 May 18, 2026 · 09:11 AM EDT  |  Wall Street Daily Briefing Pre-Market Snapshot Tonight's US market open appears poised for a mixed-to-positive start, with futures showing modest gains despite a weaker Asia session. The underlying sentiment is a tug-of-war between persistent AI optimism in tech and cautious real economy indicators, hinting at a selective capital flow into growth sectors while global geopolitical concerns simmer in the background, influencing commodity prices and supply chain stability. US equity futures indicate a cautiously optimistic tone ahead of the opening bell. S&P 500 Futures are trading at 7451.25 , up 0.26%, suggesting a slight upward bias for the broad market. NASDAQ Futures lead the charge, rising 0.61% to 29410.0, as AI-driven momentum continues to attract capital despite recent headwinds for some tech giants. Dow Futures show a more modest 0.10% gain, reaching 49667.0, while the small-cap Russell 2000 Fu...