On Tuesday, US stocks were mostly flat or slightly negative after the S&P 500 hit a new all-time high on Monday for the September close.
The S&P 500 rose 0.42%, recovering from earlier losses. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.38%, and the Dow Jones gained 0.04%.
Of the 11 sectors in the S&P 500, nine showed growth, with energy, communications services and real estate the best performers.
Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Jerome Powell, speaking at an event at the National Association for Business Economics, emphasized that the US central bank has no fixed plans for interest rate changes.
However, he hinted there could be two small rate cuts later this year if the economy performs as expected.
Investors are now focused on key economic data releases, including the NFP jobs report for September, the Job Openings Survey (JOLTS) and the manufacturing and services purchasing managers' index (PMI) survey.
There is about a 65% chance that the Fed may implement a modest 0.25% rate cut in November.
These economic indicators will provide insight into the strength of the US economy and help determine the central bank's next move.
Investors watch for signs of economic growth or potential slowdown.
