If prices go up, Fed officials may be inclined to raise its benchmark rate, raising borrowing costs for businesses and consumers. That could lead to businesses to cut jobs, particularly in the high-growth tech sector, and force Americans to pull back on spending, which drives more than 70% of economic activity in the U.S.

Oil prices edged lower on Thursday, as traders assessed whether the previous day's jump to the highest prices in more than two months had adequately priced in risks for crude oil supply from mounting tensions in the Middle East.

Oil prices rose as a U.S.-China trade deal and soft inflation report boosted demand expectations while concerns about political instability in the Middle East sparked fears of supply disruptions. West Texas Intermediate futures contracts,