U.S. stock market ‘pretty expensive’ as investors parse inflation report in choppy trade

U.S. stocks have been choppy Wednesday, as investors parse a consumer-price index report that showed inflation remains sticky despite some signs of easing.

“It was almost dead on the consensus,” said Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab, in a phone interview. “It wasn’t a surprise in either direction.”

The U.S. consumer-price…