04:03 PM EDT, 05/31/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes ended mixed Friday as official data showed the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge met market projections for April.

* US consumer spending weakened more than expected last month as outlays on goods fell into contraction territory, according to government data. The annual headline personal consumption expenditure price index and the Fed's preferred core measure -- which excludes food and energy -- remained unchanged at 2.7% and 2.8%, respectively. Both metrics were in line with Wall Street's forecast.

* Stifel said that with inflation "stubbornly elevated, a growing number of Fed officials continue to question whether the (Federal Open Market Committee) stopped short of a sufficiently restrictive level to tackle price pressures, or if the current pace of policy is as restrictive as previously thought."

* July West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell $0.83 to $77.08 per barrel, while July Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $0.23 to $81.63.

* Caesars Entertainment ( CZR ) soared nearly 12% following a media report that Carl Icahn had acquired a large position in the company.

* MongoDB ( MDB ) shares sank nearly 25% on Friday, a day after the company reported a decline in fiscal Q1 earnings and cut its guidance for the full financial year.

Price: 35.67, Change: +3.82, Percent Change: +11.98