US Stock Market Gears Up for CPI, Apple Launch, and Oracle Earnings

The US stock market is gearing up for a busy week ahead of key inflation data and major corporate earnings announcements. The August Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be released on Friday, which will provide crucial insight into the state of inflation in the US economy.

A hotter-than-expected jobs report last week has made this week's CPI reading even more important for the Federal Reserve as it considers its next interest-rate move. The Producer Price Index (PPI) will also be released on Thursday, which measures prices that producers receive for goods and services and can give an early signal about inflation pressures.

The escalating US-Iran conflict has disrupted energy supplies and pushed fuel costs higher, which could affect the inflation numbers. Businesses may pass some of these higher costs on to consumers, creating another inflation concern.