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US Equity Investors to Focus on Inflation Data as April Ceasefire Tested Following Iran-Israel Overnight Strikes

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US equity investors will focus on the inflation data, a worsening conflict in the Middle East, and the likely public listing of SpaceX this week.

* The consumer and wholesale price indexes for May are due Wednesday and the Thursday, respectively, with initial jobless claims likely on the latter. Michigan consumer sentiment preliminary and inflation expectations is due Friday. Existing home sales and ADP employment change are set for Tuesday.

* The strength in the CPI is largely coming from energy, with gasoline up roughly 8% on the month, alongside idiosyncratic pressures, Jefferies said in a note Friday. "Overall, the firm print looks somewhat skewed by energy and one-offs, but still keeps the inflation backdrop sticky in the near term."

* "Seasonal adjustment factors have been haircutting seasonally unadjusted price changes more so in recent years than previously which could have a dampening effect," a Scotiabank note said Friday.

* Israel and Iran exchanged fire that extended into Monday morning, in a resumption of violence that tested President Donald Trump's Middle East ceasefire, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday. Trump told The Financial Times that Israel would have to accept any deal the US reaches with Iran, saying "I call all the shots," CNN reported same day.

* The overnight exchange will only worsen a "chaotic diplomatic process" with the US, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson was cited as saying in a Reuters news report. Esmaeil Baghaei reportedly added that it would also further exacerbate Tehran's suspicion toward Washington.

* SpaceX (SPCX), which likely IPO on June 12, Amazon-backed (AMZN) Anthropic, and Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI's upcoming public offerings may drag down broader stock markets, Research Affiliates founder Rob Arnott told Bloomberg News on Friday. Index funds will have to trim their current positions to make room for new entrants.

* Quarterly earnings due include Oracle (ORCL), Adobe (ADBE), Lennar (LEN), and Trip.com (TCOM).

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