Markets Right Now: Health care stocks lead US indexes lower

NEW YORK – The latest on developments in financial markets (All times local):

4:00 p.m.

Stocks are closing slightly lower on Wall Street, led by declines in health care companies.

The modest declines Wednesday kept the Dow Jones industrial average slightly below the 20,000 mark. Merck and Pfizer had the biggest losses in the Dow.

FedEx fell 3 per cent after reporting earnings that fell short of Wall Street’s forecast as expenses rose.

Energy companies rose. Halliburton gained 3 per cent.

The price of natural gas jumped 9 per cent on expectations that colder weather will lead to more demand for home heating.

The Dow slipped 32 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 19,941.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index lost 5 points, or 0.3 per cent, at 2,265. The Nasdaq composite fell 12 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 5,471.

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11:45 a.m.

Stocks are moving slightly lower as the Dow Jones industrial average remains just short of the 20,000-point mark.

Bank stocks fell more than the rest of the market Wednesday. Goldman Sachs fell 1 per cent.

Energy companies rose. Chevron gained 1 per cent.

FedEx’s fell 2.5 per cent after reporting earnings that fell fell short of Wall Street’s forecast as expenses rose.

The Dow slipped 19 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 19,955. It closed at a record high of 19,974 on Tuesday.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index was down 2 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 2,268. The Nasdaq composite fell 10 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 5,472.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks are opening slightly lower as the Dow Jones industrial average remains just short of the 20,000-point mark.

Bank stocks are taking some of the largest losses Wednesday morning. Financial firm Northern Trust lost 1 per cent.

Energy companies rose as the price of oil inched up 0.3 per cent. EQT Corp. jumped 2.2 per cent.

Athletic apparel maker Nike is up 1.5 per cent after its second-quarter profit and sales topped analyst estimates.

Shipping company FedEx’s earnings fell short of Wall Street forecast as its expenses rose. Its stock is down 1.9 per cent.

The Dow average slipped 9 points to 19,965. It closed at a record high of 19,974 on Tuesday.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index was down 2 points at 2,268. The Nasdaq composite fell 6 points to 5,476.