Major indexes were slightly lower Thursday morning after a couple of lackluster days for the U.S. stock market that followed a big post-election rally, as investors await comments this afternoon from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

The Dow Jones rose Thursday morning after key inflation data and ahead of Fed Chair Powell's speech. Disney soared on earnings.

Retail sales, plus another inflation report, are this week's main remaining economic data releases. Plus, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is set to speak on the economic outlook, and there are a few earnings still on the slate.

The fierce rally in U.S. stocks since November’s presidential election took a pause on Tuesday as bond yields marched higher and investors awaited a new reading on consumer inflation. Inflation became a major flashpoint issue in the 2024 election,

Stocks finished mixed Wednesday, as investors looked through a key inflation reading that could accelerate repricing of the so-called 'Trump Trade' and test the market's solid post-election rally. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 47.