Inflation eased again in August and moved close to the Fed's 2% annual target, the PCE index revealed. The benign inflation reading in August stemmed largely from the falling price of goods such as gas, autos and electronics. The cost of goods fell 0.2% in August and prices are down about 1% compared to a year ago.

Inflation pressures are easing, and that's clearing the way for more Fed rate cuts over the final months of the year.

The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge is expected to show that price pressures continued to ease gradually in August. The personal-consumption expenditures price index, or PCE, tracks a broader range of outlays than the better-known consumer-price index.