Stocks Ended Lower, Weighed by Energy

U.S. stocks closed modestly lower on Thursday, with energy stocks leading the decline as crude-oil prices fell. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 75.05 points, or 0.30%, to 24,811.76. The S&P 500 lost 5.53 points, or 0.20%, to 2,727.76. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.53 points, or 0.02%, to 7,424.43.

Oil finished sharply lower on Thursday as worries about U.S. crude inventories helped to extend the U.S. benchmark’s downturn for a third straight session. July West Texas Intermediate crude fell $1.13, or about 1.6%, to settle at $70.71 a barrel. July Brent crude gave up $1.01, or 1.3%, to $78.79 a barrel.