NEW YORK, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks ended lower on Wednesday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 228.29 points, or 0.47 percent, to 47,885.97. The S&P 500 sank 78.83 points, or 1.16 percent, to 6,721.43. The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 418.14 points, or 1.81 percent, to 22,693.32.
Seven of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in red, with technology and communication services leading the laggards by dropping 2.19 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, energy and consumer staples led the gainers by adding 2.21 percent and 0.45 percent, respectively.
