Stocks fell in the United States on Oct. 12 as newly released inflation data overshot expectations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 173.73 points (0.51%) to 33,631.14. The S&P 500 declined by 27.34 points (0.62%), ending the day at 4,349.61. The tech-heavy Nasdaq index lost 85.46 points (0.63%), declining to 13,574.22.
At 8:30 am Eastern Time, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released Consumer Price Index data for the month of September. It showed that prices increased 0.4% over the course of the month and 3.7% in the year preceding Oct. 1. This was higher than the 0.3% for the month and 3.6% year-over-year estimated by Dow Jones. Traders interpreted the higher-than-expected figure as bearish for equities, as it could imply that the Federal Reserve will need to keep interest rates elevated for longer than previously expected as they attempt to keep inflation under control.