US stocks end lower on inflation data

Most US equities ended in the red on Feb. 12, as Treasury yields rose following economic data that showed accelerated inflation, which threatens expectations of monetary easing in the US this year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.5%, or 225 points, to settle at 44,368 points.

Similarly, the S&P 500 index edged down 0.25%, or 16 points, to 6,051 points, while the Nasdaq Composite remained unchanged at 19,649 points.

As for European markets, the STOXX Europe 600 added 0.1% to 547.7 points, its highest ever level.

The British FTSE index gained 0.35% to 8,807 points, while the German DAX index was up nearly 0.5% to close at a record level of 22,148. The French CAC 40 index rose 0.15% to 8,042 points.

The Nikkei index advanced 0.4% to 38,963 points, and the broader Topix index was flat at 2,733 points.

In the oil market, the prices of Brent crude futures for April delivery fell by 2.35%, or $1.82, to $75.18 a barrel.

Similarly, the prices of US WTI crude futures for March delivery dropped by 2.65%, or $1.95, to $71.37 a barrel.

As for gold, the prices of gold futures for April delivery declined by 0.15%, or $3.90, to $1,928.70 per ounce.

On the other hand, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.5% monthly and 3% annually in January, exceeding expectations of 0.3% and 2.9%.