Stock futures point to higher open as investors weigh inflation data

U.S. stock futures jumped in pre-market trading Tuesday as investors assessed fresh inflation data out of Washington that showed prices in March further accelerated to a new 40-year high.

Contracts on the S&P 500 popped 0.7%, and the Dow jumped nearly 130 points ahead of the open. Futures tied to the Nasdaq Composite surged 1.3%. Meanwhile, Treasury yields slightly retreated, but the benchmark 10-year yield remained above 2.7%, the highest level since January 2019.

The moves follow a down day on Wall Street to start the week marked by mounting worries of an economic slowdown as war in Ukraine, COVID-19 lockdowns in China and the prospect of a more aggressive Federal Reserve weigh on sentiment. Investors look ahead to the start of earnings season and more economic data set for release this holiday-shortened trading week.

Markets are weighing the latest gauge on inflation in the U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 8.5% in March compared to the same month last year, according to the latest report released Tuesday. The figure marks the fastest rise since December 1981 and follows a 7.9% annual increase in February. Heading into the report, consensus economists were looking for an 8.4% jump for March, according to Bloomberg data.

The red-hot print comes as investors grapple with the likelihood Fed officials will act more aggressively to combat inflation after a hawkish readout of minutes last week from the central bank’s March meeting…