Major U.S. equity indexes ended Thursday’s session on a weaker note as investors reconsidered the economic outlook in light of the latest batch of contrasting data. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 fell by 0.2%, closing at 5,297 points and 18,557 points, respectively. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which surpassed the 40,000 mark during morning trading, closed 0.1% lower at 39,869. Thursday’s economic data revealed a decline in initial jobless claims and higher-than-expected import and export prices, with the latter reigniting some anxiety about inflation. Housing starts and building permits were disappointing, and industrial production stalled. Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester stated on Thursday that it will take longer to be confident that inflation is moving toward 2% and emphasized the need for continued restrictive policies. She welcomed the latest inflation data as a sign of cooling price pressures but warned that the U.S. fiscal path is unsustainable and must be brought under control. Treasury yields closed higher across the board, with the rate-sensitive ...