The Nasdaq 100 $^NDX opened Thursday's trading session in negative territory following the release of a stronger-than-expected U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) report. As a key inflation metric that measures the average change in selling prices received by domestic producers for their output, the PPI holds significant weight in shaping monetary policy expectations. The unexpected uptick in producer prices reignited concerns over persistent inflationary pressures in the U.S. economy, potentially complicating the Federal Reserve’s path toward interest rate normalization.