S&P 500 Ends Lower After Flirting With Record

The broad-based index had edged above its all-time closing high during the session, but failed to hold the gains even as the Nasdaq eked out a second straight record.

"There seems to always be a little bit of a barrier" to new records, said TD Ameritrade's JJ Kinahan, who cited a dearth of major market news catalysts as a factor behind the directionless trading.

The Dow Jones dipped 0.2 percent to 33,874.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.1 percent to 4,241, while the Nasdaq gained 0.1 percent to 14,271, edging higher from Tuesday's all-time high.

New home sales were at 769,000 annualised in May, 5.9 percent below April's downwardly revised rate and also lower than analysts had forecast, according to Commerce Department data.

Kinahan said earnings on Thursday from Nike and FedEx should provide insights into consumer health, and personal income and spending data set for release on Friday should provide further details.

Thursday's calendar also includes weekly jobless claims and durable goods orders.

Among individual companies, Southwest Airlines dropped one percent as it announced that Gary Kelly will step down as chief executive in early 2022 and become executive chairman, while longtime executive Robert Jordan will be the next CEO.

PVH rose 2.9 percent as it announced an agreement to sell several leading brand trademarks to Authentic Brands Group for US$220 million. The transaction includes the Izod and Geoffrey Beene brands. (AFP)