US stocks edge mostly lower in afternoon trading; oil slides
U.S. stock indexes edged mostly lower in late-afternoon trading Friday, placing the market on track to extend losses from a day earlier. Banks and technology companies fell, offsetting gains by industrial and health care stocks. Energy companies also declined as crude oil prices closed lower. Bond prices rose, sending yields lower.
KEEPING SCORE: The S&P 500 index slipped 6 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,713 as of 3:28 p.m. ET. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 4 points to 24,718. The Nasdaq composite fell 24 points, or 0.3 percent, to 7,358. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks picked up 2 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,627. Rising stocks and falling stocks were about evenly split on the New York Stock Exchange.