NEW YORK - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq mustered narrow gains April 9 ahead of key inflation data, as a drop in Boeing shares amid fresh safety questions weighed on the Dow.

Analysts have pointed to tepid trading volumes so far this week, with key inflation data and central bank announcements still to come.

“The market is trading sideways,” said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Cresset Capital. “Everybody’s waiting for the inflation report. It will offer investors important guideposts as to which way the Fed tilts.”

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was unchanged at 38,883.67.

The broad-based S&P 500 advanced 0.1 per cent to 5,209.91, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.3 per cent to 16,306.64.

Boeing was among the Dow’s biggest losers, shedding 1.9 per cent as the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it is investigating the complaints of a whistleblower who alleges that the company retaliated against him for raising safety concerns that point to vulnerabilities in nearly 1,500 planes in service.

The big airplane maker also disclosed significantly lower first-quarter plane deliveries amid heavier regulatory scrutiny.

Norfolk Southern advanced 1.3 per cent as it announced it reached an agreement with class action attorneys to pay $600 million to settle lawsuits by Ohio residents affected by a toxic rail derailment.

There were no fatalities in the Feb 3, 2023, accident. However, residents of East Palestine were forced to evacuate temporarily as thick black smoke spewed from burning railcars filled with dangerous chemicals. AFP