Stock market today: S&P 500 and Nasdaq rise, Dow slips amid fresh inflation data, continued Iran fallout
Highlights from the Yahoo Finance live blog:
US stocks split at the opening bell on Wednesday as investors eyed attacks on shipping in the Iran war and assessed the latest inflation report, which came in line with expectations.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) led the way up with a gain of 0.3% after a strong earnings report from Oracle (ORCL). The S&P 500 (^GSPC) picked up roughly 0.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) slipped just below the flatline to pare initial losses after stocks closed Tuesday’s volatile session little changed.
Worries about the knock-on effects from the Iran war have dominated markets this week, spurring oil market volatility that has reverberated through stocks. Crude prices rose on reports that three vessels came under fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning, as the Iran war continues to menace shipping. Futures for West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) and Brent (BZ=tF) crude gained, trading above $85 and $90 a barrel, respectively.
Meanwhile, the IEA has proposed a record release of reserves to ease the supply crunch and put the brakes on a roaring oil rally that briefly lifted prices toward $120 per barrel on Monday.
Beyond geopolitics, Wall Street received the first of two highly anticipated inflation readings due this week. February’s Consumer Price Index showed consumer prices rose 0.3% over the previous month and 2.4% year over year, matching expectations.
The CPI reading will be followed by January’s Personal Consumption Expenditures index on Friday.
The data provides insight into inflation trends and the broader health of the US economy, particularly as recent indicators suggest the labor market may be losing some momentum. It didn’t, however, capture the effects of the oil price surge this month.
In earnings, Oracle shares surged over 10% after the tech giant posted an upbeat earnings report and outlook.
Daily Market Coverage Mar. 11, 2026 9AM-11AM (ET) | Yahoo Finance
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