 Stocks ending lower on the last trading session of the week, even after the latest inflation report strengthened hopes for interest rate cuts in September. A new reading of the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures price index, showed a 2.6% rise in the 12 months through May, which was lower than the previous month. The core index, which removes volatile food and energy prices, rose 2.6%, also down from a month ago, and marked the lowest increase since 2021.