Inflation held steady in July and ran slightly cooler than expected, increasing the odds of a Federal Reserve rate cut next month.

Goldman Sachs economists in a note estimated that consumers could soon bear up to 67% of tariff costs, up from 22%, thus escalating broader inflation risk. Before the Aug. 14 PPI report, markets were nearly unanimous in pricing a September Fed interest rate cut of up to 0.50%.

Chicago Federal Reserve Bank President Austan Goolsbee on Friday left the door open to supporting an interest-rate cut in September should fresh data prove reassuring, but said recent reports showing a rise in services inflation give him some pause amid what he calls the "stagflationary" impulse from tariffs.