Analysts currently see aggregate S&P 500 earnings for the July-September period growing 1.2% year-on-year, slightly below the 1.6% growth projected at the start of the month, according to LSEG. Its wide-ranging Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) report due on Friday, is expected to show annual headline and core inflation cooling down to 3.4% and 3.7%, respectively. Chevron CVX.N fell 3.2% after the company said it would buy smaller rival Hess Corp HES.N in a $53 billion all-stock deal.