Wall Street ends mixed, weighed down by tech

US stock indices closed the last session of the week mixed but mostly lower, weighed down by the tech sector in NASDAQ and S&P 500, while Dow Jones managed to score some gains, following earlier data and earnings results from the US. 

US existing home sales fell 3.4% in September to an annualized 5.15 million units, compared to a 0.2% dip in August to 5.33 million, while analysts expected a 0.9% drop to 5.29 million units. 

The Federal Reserve recently released the minutes of its September 25-26 meeting, at which the Federal Open Market Committee voted to increase interest rates by 25 basis points for the third time this year to just below 2.25% as expected, while carrying on plans to normalize the balance sheet. 

The Fed forecast another rate hike this year, and three more next year, and another in 2020, as the economy blisters ahead. 

Earlier this gain, US President Donald Trump accused the Federal Reserve once more of causing a sharp correction in markets with its interest rate policy, considering it too strict and a "mistake". 

Indices, Commodities 

Dow Jones rose 0.26%, or 64.89 points to 25,44.34, while Standard and Poor's 500 shed 0.04%, or one point to 27,67.78. NASDAQ Composite dropped 0.485, or 36.11 points to 7,449.03. 

Gold futures due in December shed 0.04% to $1,229.60 an ounce, while the dollar index slipped 0.21% to 95.70 away from October 9 highs. 

US crude futures due in November rose 0.93% to $69.29 a barrel, marking September 14 highs, while Brent December futures advanced 0.83% to $79.95 a barrel from the opening of $79.29.