Wall Street today: US stocks mixed as Fed’s preferred inflation ebbs slightly

US stock indices were mixed on Friday after data showed a slight easing in the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation.

At the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 20.3 points, or 0.05%, to 43,259.84. The S&P 500 fell 4.8 points, or 0.08%, to 5,856.74​, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 67.2 points, or 0.36%, to 18,477.171.

The Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index rose 2.5 per cent in the 12 months to January, the Commerce Department said, down slightly from a month earlier and in line with analyst expectations.

Microsoft shares dipped 0.7 per cent after announcing it will shut down online voice and video call platform Skype as it steers customers to its Teams program.