NEW YORK — Most U.S. stocks fell Wednesday after a report showed inflation is unexpectedly worsening for Americans . The S&P 500 dropped 0.3%, though it had been on track for a much worse loss of 1.1% at the start of trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 225 points, or 0.5%, while the Nasdaq composite edged higher by less than 0.1%.

Wall Street fell short of a record following mixed profit reports from big companies. The S&P 500 ended essentially flat Friday, a day after rallying within 0.1% of its all-time high set last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.

The stock market left investors wanting more on Friday, after the S&P 500 closed short of a record high for the second day in a row. The S&P 500 ended the day flat, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.