Stocks Ended Lower on Trade Talk Uncertainty

U.S. stocks ended lower on Tuesday as uncertainty lingered over trade talks between the United States and China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 178.88 points, or 0.72%, to 24,834.41. The S&P 500 lost 8.57 points, or 0.31%, to 2,724.44. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 15.58 points, or 0.21%, to 7,378.46.

Oil prices took a split path Tuesday, with the global benchmark scoring a fresh 3½-year high while the U.S. benchmark edged lower, as traders weighing the potential influence of developments tied to Iran and Venezuela against the prospects for domestic crude production. June West Texas Intermediate crude fell 11 cents, or nearly 0.2%, to settle at $72.13 a barrel. July Brent crude climbed 35 cents, or 0.4%, to $79.57 a barrel.