04:04 PM EDT, 09/05/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes ended mixed Thursday as investors focused on the upcoming nonfarm payrolls report after job growth among private businesses surprisingly decelerated while jobless claims fell.

* Based on ADP Institute's employment report, private payrolls rose by 99,000 in August after a 111,000 increase in July, compared with estimates compiled by Bloomberg for a 145,000 gain.

"Today's ADP and the general pessimistic labor market vibe have given the market a clear lean towards a weak number tomorrow," Spectra Markets' Brent Donnelly wrote in a Thursday note to clients, referring to the nonfarm payrolls for August due Friday. The weak July nonfarm print sparked concern the US economy was in for a hard landing.

* US initial jobless claims fell to 227,000 in the week ended Aug. 31 from an upwardly revised 232,000 in the previous week, compared with expectations for a drop to 230,000 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. The four-week moving average fell by 1,750 to 230,000.

* October West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed down $0.05 to settle at $69.15 per barrel, while November Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $0.11 to $72.59 even as a report showed an unexpectedly large drop in U.S. oil inventories last week and while OPEC+ postponed plans to boost production next month.

* Merck ( MRK ) was up 2.7% after saying it completed negotiations with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance for Welireg on Aug. 30. The alliance negotiates on behalf of Canadian provinces and federal programs, bringing the drug closer to public reimbursement.

* Copart ( CPRT ) shares slumped 6.4% as the company's fiscal Q4 earnings fell from a year ago, missing expectations. Sales for the three months that ended July 31 were shy of the consensus forecast.