Stock market today: Wall Street wraps its miserable September with another weak finish
By STAN CHOE
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street closed out its worst month of the year with more losses. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Friday after an earlier gain withered, and the majority of stocks within the index sank. The Dow fell 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite edged higher by 0.1%. Solid gains for stocks during the morning faded as pressure built from within the bond market. After initially easing on encouraging signals about inflation, Treasury yields rose as the day progressed to keep the pressure high on the stock market. Shares of energy producers fell sharply with the price of oil.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is mixed on Friday as it closes out its miserable September.
The S&P 500 was virtually unchanged in late trading after morning gains withered. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 98 points, or 0.3%, to 33,567, as of 3 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was edging higher by 0.4%.
Solid gains for stocks early on faded as pressure built from within the bond market. After easing earlier in the day following encouraging signals on inflation, Treasury yields rose as the day progressed.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury yield climbed back back to 4.58%, where it was late Thursday, after dipping to 4.52%. It charged to its highest level since 2007 this week, up from 3.50% in May and just 0.50% in 2020.
Treasurys are seen as some of the safest investments possible, and when they pay higher yields, investors are less likely to pay high prices for stocks and other riskier investments. That’s a big reason why the S&P 500 has dropped 4.6% in September to drag what had been a big gain for the year down to 12%
Treasury yields have been climbing sharply as Wall Street comes to grips with a new normal where the Federal Reserve is likely to keep interest rates high for longer. The Fed is trying to push still-high inflation down to its target, and its main tool of high interest rates does that by trying to slow the economy and hurting prices for investments.
The Fed’s main interest rate is at its highest level since 2001, and the central bank indicated last week it may cut interest rates next year by less than it earlier expected.
Friday’s economic data showed that not only was inflation a touch cooler than expected in August, so was growth in spending by U.S. consumers. That can be a positive for inflation because it means not as many dollars are pouring into purchases. That in turn could give companies less encouragement to try to raise prices further. But it may also dent what’s been a big driver keeping the U.S. economy out of a recession.
“It came to a boil during a hot summer, and the temperature is really starting to come down,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, of spending growth by U.S. consumers. “Higher energy prices, student loan debt repayments and real disposable incomes that have been on a declining trajectory since June doesn’t bode well.”
Oil prices have jumped to their highest level in more than a year, which is pressuring the economy by raising fuel costs for everyone. A barrel of U.S. crude sank 92 cents Friday to settle at $90.79, but it’s still up sharply from $70 in June. Brent crude, the international standard, also weakened.
The resumption of U.S. student-loan repayments, meanwhile, may funnel more dollars away from the spending by consumers that has helped to keep the economy afloat.
Another, more immediate threat for the economy could hit as soon as this weekend as the U.S. government nears another possible federal shutdown. Markets have broadly held up rather well during past shutdowns, but a few crucial economic reports are scheduled for the next couple of weeks.
The latest monthly update on the U.S. jobs market is due next week, with a couple of important reports on inflation coming the following week. Postponements of such reports could complicate things for the Fed, which has insisted it will make upcoming decisions on interest rates based on what incoming data say about the economy. The Fed’s next meeting on rates ends on Nov. 1.
On Wall Street, Nike jumped 7.2% after reporting better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Strength overseas helped it make up for some declines in North America.
Blue Apron soared 134.1% after the meal kit company said it was being bought by Wonder Group for $13 per share in cash in a deal valued at $103 million.
Energy stocks were among the biggest losers, with those in the S&P 500 falling 1.9% as a group. That was by far the worst performance among the 11 sectors that make up the index as oil prices slid, but they remain the market’s standout performers since the summer. Exxon Mobil fell 1.8%, and Schlumberger dropped 3.7%.
Shares of Ford and General Motors were slipping after the United Auto Workers said it will expand its limited strike to include another facility for each. Ford fell 1.1%, and GM was 0.3% lower.
In stock markets abroad, indexes were higher in Europe after exchanges were closed across much of Asia.
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AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
