Events begin to pick up this morning for the ongoing trading week, with pre-markets bouncing around ahead of the opening bell. The Dow is down -34 points, while the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Russell 2000 are all up: +25 points, +160, and +5 points, respectively.

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for June shows +0.3% month over month, in line with expectations. Year-over-year CPI, known as the “Inflation Rate,” has swelled to +2.7%, the highest since February. Core CPI year over year reached +2.9%.

The Empire State Index for July swung to a positive +5.5 points, up from an expected -9.0, signaling a positive change in manufacturing activity in New York State.

Three major banks on Wall Street, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo, reported Q2 earnings. All three beat expectations on both top and bottom lines, indicating a stronger economy than anticipated. JPMorgan Chase reported earnings of $4.96 per share, Citigroup reported $1.96 per share, and Wells Fargo reported $1.54 per share.

Experts have identified 7 elite stocks as the “Most Likely for Early Price Pops,” with an average gain of +23.5% per year since 1988. These stocks, selected from the list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys, have consistently outperformed the market. Wells Fargo & Company, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Citigroup Inc. are among the stocks highlighted.

Read more at Nasdaq: CPI Increased In-Line With Expectations