US Equity Markets Mixed After Soft Inflation Report, Higher Spending Data

04:20 PM EDT, 09/30/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes were mixed Wednesday after personal consumption spending grew alongside a soft inflation print and the likelihood of a back-to-back policy rate increase in October declined. * The personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, price index grew 0.3% in August, as expected, keeping the year-over-year rate at 3.4%, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. * However, personal consumption expenditures jumped 0.9%, as expected, after a 0.1% move in July. Real PCE, which excludes inflation, advanced 0.6%, following a 0.1% gain in July and compared with expectations for a 0.5% increase. * The probability that the Federal Reserve will raise its target rate by 25 basis points in October fell to 37% from 51% a day ago and 71% a week earlier, according to the CME FedWatch tool. * November West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose $1.20 to settle at $90.58 per barrel, while November Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $0.91 at $103.50. * Gen Digital (GEN) CEO Vincent Pilette said Monday in a post on LinkedIn that the company's quarter ending Oct. 2 and full-year outlook are both "tracking to the higher end" of the guidance. Shares rose about 5.6%, the top gainer on the S&P 500. * Jabil (JBL) stock fell 10%, the worst performer on the S&P 500, after the company released its fiscal Q4 results.