By Noel Randewich and Amruta Khandekar

Dec 5 (Reuters) – Wall Street finished mixed on Tuesday after fresh employment data bolstered bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut interest rates as soon as March.

Most S&P 500 sector indexes ended down after data showed U.S. job openings dropped in October to the lowest level since early 2021, indicating that the labor market was easing.

Another report showed U.S. services sector activity picked up in November.

The S&P 500 declined 0.06% to end the session at 4,567.18 points.

The Nasdaq gained 0.31% to 14,229.91 points, while Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.22% to 36,124.56 points.

The small-cap Russell 2000 index .RUT fell 1.4%, ending a four-day winning streak.

Volume on U.S. exchanges was relatively heavy, with 11.9 billion shares traded, compared to an average of 10.6 billion shares over the previous 20 sessions.

Of the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes, eight declined, led lower by energy .SPNY, down 1.7%, followed by a 1.37% loss in materials .SPLRCM.

U.S. stock trading this week has been uneven after the S&P 500 rebounded nearly 9% in November. The index on Friday touched a four-month intra-day high.

On Friday, the more comprehensive non-farm payrolls report for November will offer greater clarity on the state of the labor market.

Global markets will be swayed by greater volatility in 2024 as the Fed cuts benchmark interest rates fewer times than futures markets are pricing in, strategists at the BlackRock Investment Institute predicted in a panel discussion. Take-Two Interactive SoftwareTTWO.O dipped 0.5% after a trailer of the latest installment of its best-selling “Grand Theft Auto” videogame franchise was released.

CVS HealthCVS.Njumped 3.7% after forecasting 2024 revenue above Wall Street estimates, as the insurer expects to benefit from its expansion into health services.

Declining stocks outnumbered rising ones within the S&P 500 .AD.SPX by a 4.5-to-one ratio.

The S&P 500 posted 15 new highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq recorded 83 new highs and 69 new lows.

S&P 500 components so far in 2023 https://tmsnrt.rs/3uP5FRO

(Reporting by Amruta Khandekar and Shristi Achar A in Bangalore and by Noel Randewich in Oakland, Calif.; Editing by Pooja Desai and Aurora Ellis)

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Original: TSLA Feed: US STOCKS-Wall Street ends mixed after job openings hint at cooling economy