US Equity Markets End Lower as Crude Oil, Government Bond Yields Rise

04:12 PM EDT, 09/09/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes ended lower Wednesday after crude oil climbed and government bond yields rose despite the US Treasury Department's move to triple government debt buybacks to as much as $6 billion. * Iran is prepared for a more intense phase of the war and will increase counterstrikes if the US attacks on its territory and infrastructure continue, Bloomberg reported, citing a senior official from the Islamic Republic. * Redbook US same-store sales last week surged 8.3% from a year earlier after a 9.6% increase in the previous week. * October West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose $3.45 to settle at $96.48 per barrel, while November Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $3.39 at $101.31. * Casey's General Stores (CASY) shares fell 14%, the steepest drop on the S&P 500, after fiscal Q1 same-store sales growth slowed and missed Wall Street estimates, even though earnings and revenue topped expectations. * Meta Platforms (META) shares rose 6.6%, the second-biggest gain on the S&P, after the company launched a new personal AI agent called Muse AI, which can send emails, book travel plans, and continue working after users close the app.