U.S. stocks finished mixed Friday as investors weighed stronger‑than‑expected inflation data and continued geopolitical tensions.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.56% to 47,916.57. The S&P 500 slipped 0.11% to 6,816.89. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.35% to 22,902.89.
Seven of the S&P 500’s 11 sectors declined. Consumer staples and health care led losses, down 1.43% and 1.33%. Technology and materials posted the strongest gains, rising 0.76% and 0.64%.
The consumer price index rose 3.3% in March from a year earlier, nearly a full percentage point above February’s pace, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Energy prices jumped 10.9%, driven by a 21.2% surge in gasoline, which accounted for most of the monthly increase.
Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose 0.2% on the month and 2.6% from a year earlier.
White House officials said the economy remains on a solid path but acknowledged higher food and fuel costs. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett described the situation as a temporary energy disruption linked to the conflict involving Iran.
Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, said that even if a long‑term deal ends the war and the Strait of Hormuz fully reopens, it would take months for oil and fuel supplies to return to pre‑war levels.
The University of Michigan’s preliminary April consumer sentiment index fell to 47.6 from 53.3 in March, reflecting growing concern about the conflict’s impact on household finances.
Shares of most “Magnificent Seven” tech companies slipped, though Nvidia rose 2.57%.