U.S. Stocks Close Flat After Early Gains Fade

U.S. stocks closed virtually unchanged on Wednesday, as early gains faded by the end of the session. The S&P 500 and Dow declined for the third consecutive day, following disappointing monthly retail sales figures. The S&P 500 closed less than a point lower at 2,098.48 The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 7.7 points lower at 18,060.49. The Nasdaq Composite ended the session up 5.5 points, or 0.1%, at 4,981.