US equity markets opened higher on Thursday as investors reacted to US inflation data for June that came in significantly below expectations.
The softer price print provided immediate relief to risk assets, reversing recent concerns about persistent inflationary pressures that had weighed on sentiment in prior sessions.
The broad market advance was met with sector-specific headwinds, however.
The software and technology segments lagged the broader rally, pressured by a profit warning from IBM.
The IT giant issued a second-quarter guidance cut, casting a shadow over the tech-heavy indices despite the positive macro backdrop.
This session marks a shift from the mixed signals seen earlier in the week.