US Stocks See Mixed Finish

Stocks are closing mostly lower on Wall Street after a day of waffling between small gains and losses, the AP reports. The market stumbled in the late morning Wednesday following a report that the US and China wouldn't sign their initial trade deal until next month, but the losses were mostly gone within two hours. Losses for energy and communications stocks offset gains in health care. The S&P 500 edged up 2 points, or 0.1%, to 3,076, two points below the record high it set on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down a fraction at 27,492. The Nasdaq fell 24 points, or 0.3%, to 8,410. Small-company stocks fell. More stocks fell than rose on the New York Stock Exchange. (More stock market stories.)