US equities exhibited a modest decline on the last day of September, although intraday trading presented a varied landscape following the release of a key US inflation report indicating a deceleration last month. The S&P 509 index retreated 0.25%, relinquishing earlier advances to settle at 7,651.54. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.24% to conclude at 26,861.06. The Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased 0.86%, or 443.87 points, to 50,906.05.
Data revealed that the personal consumption expenditures price index for August registered an annual rate of 3.4%, a decrease from 3.7% the prior month. The core PCE, stripping out food and energy components, increased 3% year on year, compared to 3.3% in the preceding month. Over the course of the last month, the S&P 500 declined 0.45%, the Nasdaq rose 1.86%, and the Dow retreated 4.29%. The Dow concluded a five-month run of gains, while the S&P posted losses for the third month in the past four. The Nasdaq, however, secured gains for a second consecutive month.