U.S. stocks declined on Tuesday, retreating from all-time highs and the psychologically significant 5,000 level for the Nasdaq reached on Monday.
The S&P 500 SPX, -0.45% lost 9.61 points, or 0.5%, to close at 2,107.78, with eight of its main 10 sectors closing lower. A jump in oil prices lifted energy stocks, putting a lid on losses in the index.
April natural gas NGJ15, +0.63% tacked on 1.4 cents, or 0.5%, to end at $2.712 per million British thermal units.
Petroleum-product prices climbed ahead of the weekly supply data. Nymex gasoline for April rose 5.3 cents, or 2.8%, to $1.9499 a gallon, while April heating oil HOJ5, -0.74% settled at $1.9395, up 5.2 cents, or 2.8%.
Crude-oil futures rebounded on Tuesday, with prices for Brent leading the charge higher as violence in Libya and concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear program raised risks to global oil supplies.
Crude-oil futures for delivery in April CLJ5, +0.18% settled at $50.52 a barrel, up 93 cents, or 1.9%, on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Brent crude for April delivery LCOJ5, -0.43% on London’s ICE Futures exchange rose $1.48, or 2.5%, to end at $61.02 a barrel.