Stocks Closed Slightly Lower

U.S. stocks closed slightly lower on Wednesday as investors grew cautious following a temporary jump in the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, prompted by a report that China is considering halting purchases of U.S. debt. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 16.67 points, or 0.07%, to 25,369.13. The S&P 500 fell 3.06 points, or 0.11%, to 2,748.23. The Nasdaq Composite declined 10.01 points, or 0.14%, to 7,153.57.

Oil prices notched another three-year high on Wednesday, with U.S. benchmark crude settling above $63 a barrel after U.S. government data revealed an eighth-straight weekly decline in U.S. crude stockpiles. February West Texas Intermediate crude tacked on 61 cents, or 1%, to settle at $63.57 a barrel. March Brent gained 38 cents, or 0.6%, to $69.20 a barrel.