The Dow Jones lost 0.47%, the Nasdaq index rose 0.14% and the broader S&P 500 index fell 0.27%.

The New York market had opened in the green, encouraged by a further easing of bond yields, as well as by the figures of the PCE report on consumer prices in August, a reference indicator for the US central bank (Fed).

While the gross index accelerated slightly, to 3.5% over one year against 3.4% in July, inflation excluding energy and food was 3.9% over one year, against 4.3% in July.

This is the first time since September 2021 that the core index (excluding energy and food) is below 4%.

"This supports our expectation that the Fed will leave rates unchanged until the end of the year, even as a majority of its members anticipate a further hike," said Michael Peace of Oxford Economics.

But after a positive start, the clues stalled.

"There weren't many people willing to buy on the eve of the weekend," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers, for whom the approach of the end of September, which will have been very turbulent and unfavorable to stocks, also played a role.

The weekend could see the budget impasse in Congress lead to a "shutdown", which would lead to a partial paralysis of federal government services due to lack of funding.

A new text submitted by the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, was rejected Friday, making it more likely than ever that many civil servants will be laid off on Monday.

The prospect of this shutdown "hasn't been a major element for stocks, but it hasn't helped," according to Steve Sosnick.

After falling back, bond yields have tightened again. The yield on 10-year US government bonds stood at 4.57%, the same level as the previous day at the close, after falling to 4.50%.

Wall Street also noted the extension of the strike at the three major American historical automakers, Ford (-1.11%), General Motors (-0.57%) and Stellantis (-0.73%). Some 25,600 employees have now stopped work, two weeks after the start of the industrial dispute.

At the quotation, the Dow Jones was weighed down by JPMorgan Chase (-1.74%), as well as by the health sector stocks, including the insurer UnitedHealth (-1.16%) or the Merck laboratory (-1.29%).

The cruise line Carnival took the water (-4.99%), despite a turnover above expectations and a first quarterly net profit since the coronavirus pandemic. Operators have mainly retained the forecasts of the Miami group, considered disappointing.

Nike sprinted (+6.68%) after reporting a quarterly net profit well above expectations, although its turnover came out slightly below expectations. Chief Executive John Donahoe said he was confident in demand for the end of the year, particularly in China.

© 2023 AFP