Wall St Week Ahead: Inflation data to test market

A survey of over 4,000 traders published this week showed inflation and tariffs are the factors expected to have the biggest sway on markets this year. — AFP

NEW YORK: A fresh look at the pace of inflation will test the US stock market in the coming week, as investors worry that President Donald Trump's tariff plans are endangering Wall Street's hopes for interest rate cuts this year.

The benchmark S&P 500 remained about 1% below record-high levels, even as stocks were whipsawed this week by headlines over Trump's plans to impose tariffs on the largest US trading partners. Tariffs are widely seen as inflationary, complicating the picture for the Federal Reserve. The central bank paused its rate-cutting cycle last month as it waits for data to give an all-clear sign to keep easing monetary policy.