Consumer stocks were lower late Wednesday afternoon, with the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) easing 0.1% and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY) down 0.8%.

In corporate news, the US government will try to begin lifting flight reductions at major US airports one week after the end of the government shutdown, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing comments by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to reporters. Shares of United Airlines (UAL), Southwest Airlines (LUV), Delta Air Lines (DAL), and American Airlines (AAL) rose 5.2%, 4.2%, 4.7%, and 3.6%, respectively.

On Holding (ONON) lifted its full-year sales growth outlook as the Swiss sneaker maker reported better-than-expected Q3 results and said it's not planning any holiday season discounts. The stock jumped 18%.

General Motors (GM) has ordered several thousand of its parts manufacturers to pull their supply chains of parts from China, Reuters reported. GM shares rose 0.9%.

Toyota Motor (TM) announced plans to invest up to an additional $10 billion in the US over the next five years, coinciding with the launch of battery production at its $14 billion facility in Liberty, North Carolina. Toyota shares added 0.7%.