Stocks finished mixed on Wednesday, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq adding triple-digits after Alphabet (GOOGL) avoided a breakup in its antitrust case ruling. The S&P 500 closed with a quiet gain, while the Dow succumbed to broader economic concerns, falling nearly 25 points for a third-straight loss amid evidence of a softening labor market.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover report showed roughly 7.18 million listings in July, below expectations and only the second reading under 7.2 million since 2020. Elsewhere, the Fed's Beige Book report showed little to no change in economic activity in August, while Wall Street's "fear gauge," the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), snapped a three-day win streak and retreated back below 17.

GOLD HITS MORE RECORD HIGHS

Oil prices fell on Wednesday, as traders await this weekend's meeting between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+). October-dated West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped $1.63, or 2.5%, to $63.97 a barrel.

Gold futures extended their record highs after today's soft job openings data. U.S. gold futures added 1.15% to settle at $3,634.50 per ounce.

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