Core PCE Increased More Than Expected

Group 1 - Pre-market futures are down, with the Dow down 90 points, S&P 500 down 16 points, and Nasdaq down 80 points, while bond yields are at +4.32% for the 10-year and +3.98% for the 2-year [1] - The monthly PCE report indicates that inflation is warming up, which is not what analysts were hoping for, especially with tariff measures expected next week [2] - Personal Income for February increased by 0.8%, exceeding expectations, while Personal Spending rose by 0.4%, indicating a positive consumer performance [3] Group 2 - The headline PCE Index showed a month-over-month increase of 0.3% and a year-over-year rate of 2.5%, both above the Fed's target of 2% but within a manageable range [4] - Core PCE, excluding food and energy, increased by 0.4% month-over-month and 2.8% year-over-year, both figures slightly above expectations, indicating a gradual rise in inflation [5] - Consumer Sentiment for March dropped to 57.9, the lowest in two and a half years, with inflation expectations rising to 4.9% from 4.3% [6] Group 3 - Upcoming Jobs Week will provide insights into the labor market, with various reports expected to clarify whether the market is weakening [7] - The previous Employment Situation report indicated 151K new jobs filled and an unemployment rate of 4.1%, suggesting a robust domestic workforce [8]