Wall Street’s main indexes closed lower on Thursday as investors looked to higher-than-expected inflation and unemployment claims for indications on the health of the U.S. economy and the path for interest rates. Bay Street had a better session, with the Canadian benchmark index edging up to another record high close thanks to stronger commodity prices and a weaker Canadian dollar that lifted the energy and materials sectors.
The closely watched U.S. Consumer Price Index rose 0.2% on a monthly basis in September and 2.4% on an annual basis, with both figures being slightly higher than estimated by economists. The core figure, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 3.3% year-over-year, versus an estimate of 3.2%.
In a separate report released on Thursday, jobless claims also rose to 258,000 for the week ending Oct. 5, versus an estimate of 230,000.
“Investors were torn between a stronger than expected CPI report and a…
