Stocks Drop With Treasuries, Gold as Fed Discusses Taper

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index capped its first three-day slump since September and Treasuries slid as the Federal Reserve indicated it may reduce monetary stimulus in coming months as the U.S. economy improves. Gold and silver extended losses while the dollar strengthened.

The S&P 500 fell 0.4 percent to 1,781.37 by 4:32 p.m. in New York after earlier climbing as much as 0.4 percent. Ten-year Treasury note yields increased nine basis points to 2.80 percent. Silver and gold dropped more than 2 percent and oil erased earlier gains. The Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Index, a gauge of the currency against 10 major peers, rose 0.4 percent. The euro slid against most peers with the European Central Bank said to weigh a negative deposit rate to ward off deflation.