Stocks mostly flat with focus on US inflation

Stock markets were little changed Monday, holding near record highs amid thin summer volumes, as investors awaited inflation data this week for more clues to the interest-rate outlook for the US economy and as oil prices rose.US stocks rose Friday after data surprisingly showed that 23,000 jobs were lost last month, confounding widespread expectations for growth and suggesting that the US Federal Reserve would hold off on raising borrowing costs to contain stubbornly high inflation.