Caterpillar Inc. experienced downward pressure and heightened intraday volatility, primarily driven by a convergence of macroeconomic friction, corporate executive updates, and widespread analyst price target reductions ahead of its upcoming earnings release. A key catalyst weighing on the stock was renewed macroeconomic anxiety following hotter-than-expected inflation data. Rising inflation fears pushed Treasury yields higher and increased expectations that the Federal Reserve may maintain a restrictive monetary stance. For a capital-intensive industrial leader, elevated borrowing costs heighten the risk that commercial customers in construction, mining, and infrastructure will defer high-cost equipment purchases or engage in inventory…