04:41 PM EDT, 03/11/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes closed mixed Monday, as markets awaited official consumer inflation data for February, scheduled to be released Tuesday.

The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.4% to 16,019.3, while the S&P 500 slid 0.1% to 5,117.9. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1% to 38,769.7. Industrials, consumer discretionary, and real estate saw the steepest declines among sectors. Materials and energy paced the gainers.

In economic news, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics are likely to show Tuesday that the US consumer price index rose 0.4% sequentially and 3.1% annually last month, according to a Bloomberg-compiled consensus. Core inflation -- which excludes the volatile food and energy components -- is seen growing 0.3% on a monthly basis and 3.7% annually.

"The good news would be some clarity following the surprises among some components in the January report," UBS Securities said in a note. "That, with February data in hand, could leave the (Federal Open Market Committee) more comfortable the inflation process is unfolding roughly in line with what they thought back in December."

Government data for February producer prices are scheduled to be released Thursday.

The US two-year yield increased 5.2 basis points to 4.54% Monday, while the 10-year rate gained one basis point to 4.1%.

A survey by the New York Fed showed Monday that US consumers' short-term inflation expectations were unchanged in February while the medium- and long-term outlooks rose.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 0.1% at $78.09 per barrel Monday.

In company news, S&P 500 companies' latest financial results have been stronger than expected so far in the ongoing cycle, with earnings up 8% year over year on 3.9% revenue growth, Oppenheimer Asset Management said in a note. Before the season's start, a bottom-up analysis pegged earnings gains at 1.3%. Only five S&P 500 companies are left to report results in the current cycle, according to the firm.

Delta Air Lines ( DAL ) said Sunday that it expects deliveries of Boeing's ( BA ) 737 Max 10 planes to be delayed to as late as 2027 due to federal safety and criminal reviews of the airplane manufacturer, Bloomberg News reported.

Separately, media outlets reported that Boeing ( BA ) is under investigation by the US Department of Justice determining whether the door blowout on its 737 Max jetliner on the Alaska Air Group ( ALK ) flight in January violated the terms of a 2021 settlement.

Boeing ( BA ) shares dropped 3% Monday, the steepest decline on the Dow, while Delta rose 1%.

EQT (EQT) was the worst performer on the S&P 500, down 7.8%, as Truist Securities adjusted its price target on the stock to $37 from $39 while maintaining its hold rating.

Xcel Energy ( XEL ) shares rose 3.7%, among the top gainers on the Nasdaq, following upgrades at both Barclays and Wolfe Research.

Gold closed 0.1% higher at $2,188 per troy ounce, while silver gained 0.5% to $24.68 per ounce.