The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that stocks ended lower on Tuesday, with hostilities in the Middle East lifting oil prices and investors awaiting U.S. inflation data. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that in addition, software stocks took a beating. OpenAI's launch last week of its newest model, GPT-6 Astra, reignited speculation that artificial intelligence could compete with services now offered by specialized software companies. The S&P/TSX Composite Index ended down 390.75 points, or 1.1 per cent, at 36,123.05, extending the market's choppy pattern since it notched a record closing high of 36,957.63 on Aug. 25. "This is part of the seasonal weakness," said Greg Taylor at PenderFund Capital Management. "September is usually a choppy period and I think this year is shaping up to be more the norm, that we're going to get some volatility ahead of the FOMC meeting, with the U.S. midterms and then just the uncertainty with bond yields and such." An intensifying trade war between the United States and Canada was another potential headwind after Canada's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods took effect early Tuesday morning. In addition, President Donald Trump threatened to ban Bombardier jets.