(Updates with index/price moves, macroeconomic data, and geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)
US equity indexes fell after a surge in private-sector output growth to the highest in more than five years lifted bets for a back-to-back interest rate increase in October and sent government bond yields sharply higher.
The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.1% to 26,939.6, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.6% to 51,538.2, and the S&P 500 slid 0.7% to 7,708.3 ahead of Wednesday's close. All sectors except industrials and energy declined. Utilities and communication services led decliners.
Most US Treasury yields jumped after US private-sector output growth accelerated to a 62-month high in September amid strength in both services and manufacturing, while price pressures intensified. The 10-year yield soared 15.8 basis points to 5.13%, and the two-year rate surged 13.1 basis points to 4.91%.
S&P Global's (SPGI) flash purchasing managers' index data released Wednesday showed September's composite output gauge increased to 58.4 from 56 in August, marking a fourth straight monthly rise. The consensus was for 55.3 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.
Traders are now pricing a 69% probability that the Federal Reserve will raise its target rate range for federal funds by 25 basis points to 4% to 4.25% in October, up from 55% a day earlier and 9% a month ago, according to the CME FedWatch tool. The Fed raised rates by the same magnitude in September.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian told the United Nations that Tehran will not surrender to the pressures being brought on by the US, while saying he is of the view that diplomacy is the way to end the war, Reuters reported Wednesday. This comes as US President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that he could annihilate Iran if there is no deal to end the war, but also suggested an agreement could come soon, the news report said.
The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil contract jumped 1.9% to $92.20 per barrel, while the global benchmark North Sea Brent shot up 4% to $103.18 per barrel amid worsening Iran geopolitics.