Update: Equities Mostly Rise Intraday Following Inflation Report, Other Economic Data

02:13 PM EDT, 09/30/2026 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with latest market prices and developments.) US benchmark equity indexes were mostly higher intraday as traders parsed fresh economic data, including a report on the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation metric. The Nasdaq Composite was up 0.9% at 27,026.3 after midday Wednesday, while the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 7,702.2. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down 0.2% to 51,256.9. Among sectors, communication services saw the biggest gain, while real estate led the laggards. The headline personal consumption expenditure price index rose 3.4% year over year last month, while the core measure, which excludes food and energy, stood at 3%, official data showed. Both metrics were unchanged from the month prior after July's prints were revised lower from 3.7% and 3.3%, respectively. The consensus in a Bloomberg-compiled survey was for August's readings to stay at July's original levels. The Bureau of Economic Analysis report included revisions to personal income and outlays data beginning in January 2021. Markets are now pricing in a 61% probability that the Fed will hold interest rates steady at next month's policy meeting, up from 49% on Tuesday. Bets for another 25-basis-point rate hike in October fell to 39% from 51%. "Cooler-than-feared inflation supports (New York) Fed President John Williams' assertion that there is no immediate rush to hike rates again, even though more tightening will likely be required in time," ING Bank said. Treasury yields were mixed intraday, with the two-year rate little changed at 4.89%, while the 10-year rate rose 3.8 basis points to 5.29%. In other economic news, US private jobs grew by 90,000 in September, after a revised gain of 36,000 in August, payrolls processing firm ADP (ADP) said. The consensus was for a 75,000 increase in a Bloomberg-compiled survey. US real gross domestic product increased at a 2.2% annualized rate in the second quarter, up from 1.5% growth the government reported previously. The consensus in a Bloomberg-compiled survey was for the rate to remain unrevised. West Texas Intermediate crude oil was up 2.1% at $91.27 a barrel intraday, while Brent rose 1.1% to $103.75, keeping both benchmarks on track for their third straight monthly gains. Iran has received a US response through Qatari mediators to its proposed seven-day plan to build trust between Washington and Tehran, Reuters reported. In company news, Salesforce (CRM) signed an agreement to acquire AI-powered client research platform Listen Labs, it said on Tuesday. Salesforce shares rose 1.9% intraday Wednesday, among the biggest gains on the Dow. Jabil (JBL) slumped 8.5%, the worst performer on the S&P 500, after the company released its fiscal fourth-quarter results. Micron Technology (MU) is scheduled to report its financial results after markets close on Wednesday. Spot gold fell 0.7% to $4,153.06 per troy ounce, while silver lost 0.9% to $60.60 per ounce.