US STOCKS SNAPSHOT-Wall St futures inch lower after February inflation data

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 08:40 AM EDT

March 11 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures inched lower on Wednesday as investors assessed an in-line February consumer prices reading and the Federal Reserve's outlook for monetary policy.

A Labor Department report showed that the Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% on a monthly basis in February, in line with a 0.3% increase forecast by economists polled by Reuters. It stood at 2.4% on a year-on-year basis, in line with an estimated 2.4% rise.

The core figure, excluding volatile food and energy components, rose 0.2% on a monthly basis, compared with expectations for a 0.2% advance. It came in at 2.5% on a year-on-year basis, versus an estimated 2.5% increase.

At 8:35 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were down 143 points, or 0.3%, S&P 500 E-minis were down 10.5 points, or 0.15% and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 31.75 points, or 0.13%. (Reporting by Utkarsh Tushar Hathi; Editing by Maju Samuel)

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

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