Markets Right Now: Drop in oil price sinks energy stocks

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

4:00 p.m.

Another drop in crude oil prices helped bring energy stocks lower, bringing the market back from the record highs it set a day earlier.

The price of crude touched its lowest level of the year Tuesday. Transocean sank 4.2 percent and Marathon Oil lost 3.4 percent.

Retailers also fell. Ross Stores fell 4.8 percent.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 16 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,437.

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 61 points, or 0.3 percent, to 21,467. The Nasdaq fell 50 points, or 0.8 percent, to 6,188.

Small-company stocks fell more than the rest of the market. The Russell 2000 lost 15 points, or 1.1 percent, to 1,402.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.16 percent.

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11:45 a.m.

Stocks are easing lower in midday trading on Wall Street, a day after big gains from tech companies pushed indexes to their latest record highs.

Technology stocks were slightly lower Tuesday. Microsoft gave up 1 percent and Applied Materials fell 1.4 percent.

Energy companies were also lower as the price of crude oil fell about 3 percent. Rig operator Transocean gave up 3.7 percent.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 8 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,445.

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 7 points, less than 0.1 percent, to 21,522. The Nasdaq composite fell 20 points, or 0.3 percent, to 6,218.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.16 percent.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks are easing mostly lower in morning trading on Wall Street, a day after big gains from tech companies pushed indexes to their latest record highs.

Technology stocks were slightly lower early Tuesday. Apple fell 0.5 percent and Microsoft gave up 0.4 percent.

Energy companies were also lower as the price of crude oil fell about 3 percent. Rig operator Transocean gave up 3.6 percent.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 4 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,448.

The Dow Jones industrial average was little changed at 21,531. The Nasdaq composite fell 12 points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,227.