LIVE MARKETS-US indexes creep higher in cautious trade

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U.S. INDEXES CREEP HIGHER IN CAUTIOUS TRADE

Wall Street's main indexes are gaining, though already off their early highs, on Tuesday, as investors assess softer-than-expected producer inflation to help gauge the Federal Reserve's monetary policy trajectory this year.

A Labor Department report showed the producer price index rose 3.3% on an annual basis in December 2024, compared with the 3.4% rise economists polled by Reuters had expected.

A majority of S&P 500 .SPX sectors are higher with consumer discretionary .SPLRCD, up more than 1%, posting the biggest rise. Healthcare .SPXHC, with a more than 1% loss, is taking the biggest hit.

Under the surface, transports .DJT and regional banks .KRX are among outperformers.

Meanwhile, the Nasdaq composite .IXIC is attempting to end a four-day losing streak.

That said, markets may remain cautious given December CPI data, and the unofficial kickoff to Q4 earnings season, with big banks leading the charge, on Wednesday.

Here is a snapshot of where markets stood around 1000 EST:

(Terence Gabriel)

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FOR TUESDAY'S EARLIER LIVE MARKETS POSTS:

DEUTSCHE BANK SAYS TRUMP VICTORY COULD BOOST BITCOIN - CLICK HERE

BROADER MARKET ON THE BACK FOOT, BUT MIGHT BULLS CATCH A BREAK? - CLICK HERE

BONDS ENTER FIFTH YEAR OF BEAR MARKET: TIME TO BUY? - CLICK HERE

UK ON INVESTORS' RADAR DESPITE NEW YEAR SELL-OFF - MS - CLICK HERE

WALL STREET POISED TO BUY MORE EUROPEAN BANK SHARES - UBS - CLICK HERE

EUROPEAN SHARES RISE AFTER U.S. TARIFF PLAN TOUTED - CLICK HERE

EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: FUTURES JUMP, U.S. TARIFF PLANS IN FOCUS - CLICK HERE

BONNE CHANCE, BAYROU - CLICK HERE

(Terence Gabriel is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)