Wall Street is on edge heading into the July consumer price report after sharp stock swings this month reignited fears over the fate of the economy. Economists are predicting that inflation remained broadly unchanged in July — a reading that should allow the Federal Reserve to start easing the brakes on the economy next month by cutting interest rates. But a sharper-than-expected slowdown in the Consumer Price Index could intensify worries that the economy is moving quickly toward a more pronounced downturn, while a surprise acceleration is likely to rein in rate cut expectations that investors are already counting on to support the market. That leaves investors in search of an inflation “sweet spot,” Chris Larkin, head of trading and investing at E-Trade, said in a statement: “cool enough that no one will be second-guessing the likelihood of a September rate cut, but warm enough to push aside the recession concerns that have rattled the markets recently.”

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Persons: ” Chris Larkin, ” Organizations: Federal Reserve