Wall St ends lower as 2024 starts with profit-taking

The S&P 500 lost 38.02 points, or 0.8%, to end at 4,704.81 points, while the Nasdaq lost 173.73 points, or 1.18%, to 14,592.21. The Dow fell 284.85 points, or 0.76%, to 37,430.19.

NEW YORK: US stock indices ended the second session of the year down again in extended profit-taking on Wednesday after a strong finish to 2023, with minutes from the Federal Reserve's December meeting failing to shake off the funk hanging over markets.

It was the first time the benchmark S&P 500 index has started the year with two straight declines since it kicked off 2015 with a three-session skid. It is also its worst two-day result, on a percentage basis, since late-October.