The stock market broadly has been rising faster than corporate profits, which raises the volume on criticism from skeptics that it’s gotten too expensive. The S&P 500 is still up nearly 25% for the year so far, on top of last year’s leap of 24.2%.

U.S. stocks are drifting near their records after the latest inflation update boosted hopes that more help for the economy will arrive next month from another cut to interest rates.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks drifted lower Monday ahead of a momentous week full of potential flashpoints in Washington, D.C., and around the world. The S & P 500 slipped 0.3%, though it remains near its record set last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 257 points, or 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%.