NEW YORK—U.S. stock market investors are gauging whether more volatility is ahead because of surging global energy prices, which could drive up inflation, erode profit margins, and pressure consumer spending.
Stocks rebounded this week after Monday’s losses left the S&P 500 down 5.2 percent from its record high hit in September. A truce in the U.S. Congress to avoid a debt default provided some relief, but investors remain worried about inflation, higher U.S. Treasury yields, and the Federal Reserve’s plan to unwind its easy money policies.
