LIVE MARKETS-S&P 500, Nasdaq dip with cooling CPI in the forecast

* Nasdaq dips, S&P ends slightly lower, Dow closes green * Utilities lead S&P 500 sector gains; tech weakest group * Dollar, crude edge up; bitcoin gains ~6%; gold slips * U.S. 10-Year Treasury yield dips to ~4.17% Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of markets brought to you by Reuters reporters. You can share your thoughts with us at S&P 500, NASDAQ DIP WITH COOLING CPI IN THE FORECAST U.S. stocks closed mixed on Monday, having shown little conviction throughout the session as folks on the eastern seaboard battened down the hatches ahead of a big snow storm and investors hunkered down ahead of a key inflation report. Tech shares (.SPLRCT) dragged the Nasdaq (.IXIC) to a loss, while utilities (.SPLRCU) fared better than most ahead the nor’easter. The Dow (.DJI) ended slightly green, while the S&P 500 (.SPX) inched lower. Small caps were among outperformers, with the Russell 2000 (.RUT) advancing about 1.8%. AI continues to be flavor of the month, with chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA.O) surpassing Amazon.com (AMZN.O) in market cap. Even so, the new technology was identified by Christopher Smart of Arbroath group as one possible recession trigger as it appears poised to start replacing workers. The S&P 500 managed to hover above the 5,000 level it breached for the first time last week, while the Nasdaq briefly poked its head above its all-time closing high/bull market confirmation. Against the backdrop of a better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings season, market participants have been adjusting their bets regarding the timing and extent of interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve this year, as policymakers continue to eye economic data to determine their next move. A big slice of data arrives tomorrow in the form of the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI). Economists polled by Reuters expect year-over-year headline CPI to shed a welcome 50 basis points to 2.9%, bringing it within one percentage point of Powell & Co’s 2% target. Core CPI, which strips away volatile food and energy items, has proven stickier; although it, too, is seen easing to 3.7% from December’s 3.9%. Here’s your closing snapshot: (Stephen Culp) FOR MONDAY’S EARLIER LIVE MARKETS POSTS: S&P 500 JUST DID SOMETHING IT HASN’T DONE IN MORE THAN 50 YEARS - CLICK HERE THINGS ARE GOOD, BUT ARE THEY GOOD ENOUGH FOR 5300? - CLICK HERE JPMORGAN SAYS TIME TO GO LONG FIVE-YEAR TREASURIES - CLICK HERE THE FIRE NEXT TIME: LIKELY - AND UNLIKELY - RECESSION TRIGGERS - CLICK HERE THIS YEAR, THE US DOLLAR MAY GAIN REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE FED DOES - CLICK HERE WALL STREET GAINS SCANT YARDAGE IN EARLY TRADE - CLICK HERE NASDAQ COMPOSITE WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF ITS RECORD HIGHS - CLICK HERE WILL STOCKS FEEL THE LOVE OF THE VALENTINE’S DAY EFFECT? - CLICK HERE WHICH LARGE US COMPANY WOULD BE NEXT TO DECLARE DIVIDEND? - CLICK HERE THE YEN’S “DEPRESSING” CARRY TRADE - CLICK HERE SEA OF GREEN FOR EUROPEAN MARKETS - CLICK HERE EUROPEAN SHARES SET TO CONTINUE MARCH HIGHER - CLICK HERE US INFLATION LOOMS LARGE WITH ASIA ON HOLIDAY - CLICK HERE Closing snapshot