Wall Street faces key inflation and jobs data test after confidence slump

Wall Street faces a critical test Wednesday as US inflation and private employment data are released, following a 12-year low in consumer confidence and 19-year highs in Treasury yields. Investors are bracing for potential market volatility. The Conference Board's consumer confidence index fell 6.7 points to 81.9 in September, the lowest since 2014, while job openings dropped by 256,000 to 7.079 million in August. The Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the PCE index, along with ADP employment figures, will shape expectations for interest rate policy. US stocks closed lower Tuesday, with the Dow falling 0.26% and the S&P 500 down 0.17%. Oil prices remained volatile, with WTI crude falling 4.22% to $88.89 per barrel, while the 10-year Treasury yield reached 5.241%, its highest close since 2007.