U.S. stocks finished mostly higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 barely eking out a gain, after October's consumer-price index came in cooler than some market participants had expected. The Dow closed up by 47.

Stocks on Wednesday settled mixed. The overall market found support from the as-expected US October consumer price report. The benign inflation report boosted the chances of a 25 bp rate cut by the Fed next month to 82% from 62% before the report.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 382.15 points, or 0.9%, ending at 43,910.98. It was the largest one-day point decline since Oct. 23, according to Dow Jones Market Data. The

U.S. stocks are drifting near their records after the latest inflation update boosted hopes that more help for the economy will arrive next month from another cut to interest rates. The S&P 500 was up 0.