Energy stocks pull down S&P

U.S. stocks took another step backward yesterday after a plunge in the price of oil dragged down shares of energy producers. The losses overshadowed gains for technology companies and other areas of the market.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index dipped by a fraction of a point, down 0.30 to 2,629.27, and it's down 0.5 percent so far this week. But even those modest movements could count as notable in a year that has been unusually calm and easy for investors. It was the fourth straight loss for the index, the first time that has happened since March.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 39.73 points (0.2 percent), to 24,140.91, the Nasdaq composite rose 14.16 (0.2 percent), to 6,776.38 and the Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks lost 7.88 (0.5 percent), to 1,508.88.

The market's biggest movers were energy stocks, which sank with the price of oil. Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.66 to settle at $55.96 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, lost $1.64 to $61.22 a barrel.