Market decline extends for third week

Stocks closed lower NEWYORK— on Wall Street Friday as another zig-zag week for markets ended with a third-straight weekly loss for the S&P 500.

Apple, Amazon and Alphabet weighed particularly heavy on the market decline. Stocks have swirled this week despite the FederalReservesayingitexpectstokeep short-term interest rates at record lows. Futuresandoptionsonstocks and indexes expired in an event known as “quadruple witching,” which can drive swings in prices.

Low interest rates typically turbocharge the market by encouraging investors to pay higher prices for stocks, but some investorsmay have been looking for the Fedto be even more aggressive.

Growthinsomeareasoftheeconomyhasalsoslowedafterunemployment benefits and other aid from thefederalgovernmentexpired, and partisan disagreementsinCongress are holding up a possible renewal of support. Investors say it’s essential that such aid arrives.

“To the extent that you don’t get an additional fiscal cushion, the economy is going to be impacted by it,” saidBrianLevitt, globalmarket strategist at Invesco.

Rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies are also continuing to keep markets on edge. President Donald Trump’s targeting of the Chinese tech industry has caused intermittent worries in the market about a retaliation.

BigTechstocks already stumbled sharply this month onworries that theirpriceshavegrowntooexpensiv. Surging shares ofApple, Microsoft, Amazon and others helped carry Wall Street back to record heights.