"Investors Brace for Impact: Stock Market Slips Ahead of Critical Inflation Data"

U.S. stocks opened lower as investors await key inflation data this week to gauge potential rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The Dow fell 0.3%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq declined 0.2%. The market is focused on the release of the consumer-price index on Tuesday, with expectations of a 0.4% gain in consumer prices. Strong economic data and inflation figures have led to scaled-back expectations for rate cuts, with Fed-funds futures traders pricing in a quarter-point rate cut by June. Bitcoin surged above $70,000, boosting related companies, while Nvidia Corp. shares were lower following a slump on Friday.