All three of the major indexes (^DJI,^GSPC, ^IXIC) opened slightly lower on Wednesday, while oil prices (CL=F, BZ=F) continued to rise and bitcoin (BTC-USD) experienced a sharp decline. US private payroll numbers beat Wall Street expectations in September, according to the latest ADP report. The data shows that 143,000 jobs were added in the private sector last month, surpassing the projected 125,000 jobs — a significant increase from August's reported 99,000 jobs Takeaways: US stocks (^DJI,^GSPC, ^IXIC) got off to a rocky start in October after escalating tensions in the Middle East sparked fears of a wider conflict. Traders flocked to more defensive areas of the market in Tuesday's trading session, causing oil prices (CL=F, BZ=F) to spike. Nike (NKE) is looking for a fresh start under its new CEO, Elliott Hill. The footwear giant reported mixed fiscal first quarter results, withdrew its full-year sales guidance, and postponed its investor day that was originally scheduled for November. Hill will step into the role on October 14, where he will embark on a turnaround mission for the company. Tesla (TSLA) third quarter sales are expected to be released this morning. Wall Street is anticipating a rise in the third quarter compared to the prior year, as demand in China has increased. Investors will also be looking forward to Tesla's big robotaxi event on October 10. Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is the ultimate guide to making smarter portfolio decisions. Find this and other episodes of Morning Brief here. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at [email protected]. Yahoo Finance's Morning Brief is hosted by Seana Smith and Brad Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices