Stocks edged lower during midday trading on Tuesday as traders maintained a cautious stance in anticipation of the highly awaited Consumer Price Index (CPI) report scheduled for Wednesday, which could offer crucial insights into the potential course of actions by the Fed. The consensus expectation among Wall Street analysts is that the annual CPI rate to edge slightly higher from 3.2% to 3.4% in March, mainly due to rising gasoline prices. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy items, is anticipated to inch lower, from 3.8% to 3.7%. The S&P 500 index declined by 0.2%, dragged down by f…