The consumer price index eased to 2.3 percent in April from a year ago, a tick below the 2.4 percent figure recorded in March.
Some analysts cautioned that it was still too early to see the implications of US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, some of which have been rolled back or suspended.
The Nasdaq led major indices, jumping 1.6 percent to 19,010.
The S&P 500 gained 0.7 percent to 5,886, while the Dow Jones fell 0.6 percent to 42,140, after weakness in UnitedHealth Group stocks.
Markets continued to cheer the US-China announcement on Monday of a de-escalation of trade tensions. The two countries agreed to much lower levies for 90 days while they work to hash out an agreement.
“It seems as if the euphoria that was ignited yesterday or over the weekend has continued into today at least for the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq,” said Sam Stovall of CFRA Research.
The benign US inflation data also furthers the odds the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates twice in 2025, Stovall said.
Among individual companies, UnitedHealth Group sank 17.8 percent after announcing that Andrew Witty was stepping down as CEO for personal reasons, to be replaced by Chair Stephen Hemsley.
The company also suspended its 2025 outlook, citing higher-than-expected costs.
Hertz plunged 16.9 percent after reporting weaker-than-expected results, including a quarterly loss of US$443 million. (AFP)
