Dados EUA para hoje: CPI às 13:30

[notiCIas]

Stocks may pay a price

Futures lower as investors await CPI and reconsider Fed's concern about inflation threat.

March 23, 2005: 6:15 AM EST

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - U.S. stocks looked to open slightly lower Wednesday, as investors await the latest reading on retail prices on the day after the Federal Reserve expressed new concerns about the threat of inflation.

U.S. stock futures were down in early trading, indicating a lower opening for stocks ahead of the 8:30 a.m. ET Consumer Price Index report.

Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast overall prices rose 0.3 percent in February following a 0.1 percent gain in January. The so-called core CPI, which excludes often volatile food and energy prices, is expected to match January's gain of 0.2 percent.

The Fed raised rates by a quarter percentage point for its seventh straight meeting Tuesday and kept language in its statement foreseeing further measured increases. But the statement also said "pressures on inflation have picked up in recent months."

That warning sent U.S. stocks tumbling in afternoon trading. It also led major markets in Asia to close lower Wednesday. Major European markets were also lower in early trading.

Oil prices were trading lower ahead of Wednesday's report on U.S. fuel inventories.

The May light crude contract lost 50 cents to $55.53 a barrel in electronic trading, while the May contract for Brent crude fell 35 cents to $54.24.

Treasury prices were slightly higher, edging the yield on the 10-year note down to 4.62 percent from the 4.63 percent level late Tuesday. The dollar gained ground on the euro and the yen.

In corporate news, business software provider Oracle (Research) fell in European trading despite posting earnings per share a penny better than forecasts, and raising its earnings guidance in an after-market report. Analysts were concerned that revenue from new software licenses was less than expected.