Equities began to pull back again on Thursday ending what was otherwise a good March for stocks. The S&P 500 shed more than 1.5% at the low of the day and closed near the low of the session after the PCE price index came in at a new high. While the pace of acceleration cooled off on a month-to-month basis the YOY data shows both headline and core inflation have accelerated to new highs and the highest levels in four decades. With oil prices hovering above $100, it doesn't look like inflation is going to be tamed any time soon and the FOMC will need to be aggressive. The next FOMC meeting is only a month away and the market is pricing in a 50 basis point interest rate increase then and at the next meeting.
In other news, the non-farm payroll report is due out today and could drive market action. The report is expected to show a strong 490,000 new jobs in March and an uptick in wage growth. The risk for the market lay in the wage growth and a hot number could intensify fears of FOMC intervention.