The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell Wednesday as traders absorbed a hotter-than-expected August core inflation print.
The Dow lost 70.46 points, or 0.20%, to 34,575.53 for its second straight decline. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 was up 0.12% to 4,467.44. The Nasdaq Composite added 0.29% to end at 13,813.59.
3M was the biggest laggard in the 30-stock Dow, dropping more than 5.7%. Caterpillar shares were lower by 2%. Meanwhile, Apple shares declined more than 1%, falling for a second day.
On the other hand, tech gains helped to lift the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. Tesla shares gained 1.4% after billionaire investor Ron Baron stood by his bullish thesis on the electric vehicle maker. Amazon shares hit their highest level since August 2022; they advanced more than 2.5%.
August's core inflation print in the consumer price index increased 0.3% and 4.3% respectively, against estimates for 0.2% and 4.3%. Federal Reserve officials focus more on the core number as it provides a better indication of where inflation is heading over the long term.
Meanwhile, the headline numbers rose 0.6% last month, and was up 3.7% from a year ago. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones were looking for respective increases of 0.6% and 3.6%.
"This report interrupts the run of good news [and] makes it more difficult to talk a happy game about inflation," said Vincent Reinhart, chief economist at Dreyfus and Mellon. "It doesn't matter for the upcoming FOMC meeting's results. They're not going to act. They have not signaled action. Market participants do not expect action. And that's because they've shifted down the pace of tightening."
"If they act, it will be in November," Reinhart added.
Wall Street has mostly priced in a pause in rate hikes at the Fed's meeting next week. Fed funds futures pricing data as of Wednesday afternoon indicate a 97% probability of rates remaining the same, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.
— CNBC's Jeff Cox contributed to this report.
Correction: An earlier version misstated the day Adobe reports earnings.
