NEW YORK: Wall Street stocks edged lower at the start of Tuesday's session as markets await key inflation data amid worries over a weakening global growth outlook.

Anticipation is especially keen for consumer price index data for September to be released Wednesday, which will come amid worries that supply chain problems are stoking inflation. Oil prices dipped slightly early Tuesday.

"Since the market is a forward-looking entity, the uncertainty about what it might see and hear could lead to some choppy trading action today," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare.

The IMF trimmed its 2021 global growth forecast, warning that the failure to distribute vaccines worldwide is worsening the economic divide and darkening prospects for developing nations.

About 20 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1 percent at 34,449.77

Wall Street rises as Big Tech, financials gain

The broad-based S&P 500 slipped 0.2 percent to 4,354.73, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index shed 0.1 percent to 14,475.90.

This week's calendar also includes earnings reports from JPMorgan Chase and other leading banks, as well as Delta Air Lines.