US stocks ended Tuesday slightly lower, changing directions in the last hour of trading in the second session of a holiday-shortened week.
The blue-chip S&P 500 fell 0.3 per cent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq dipped 0.4 per cent.
The drop on Tuesday was unlikely to represent a longer-term trend for stocks, analysts said, as both indices have been on the rise since the Federal Reserve meeting last week.
At that meeting, officials kept interest rate cut forecasts steady, even as they wagered inflation would run hotter than previous forecasts.
Thursday will be the last trading day of the quarter, ahead of which traders often rebalance portfolios.
