Stocks End Choppy Day on Muted Note as Traders Weigh War Impact

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Photographer: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

US stocks ended the day little changed, closing out a choppy trading session, as traders assessed the potential market impact from an escalating conflict in the Middle East that triggered a spike in oil prices.

The S&P 500 bounced back from earlier losses as gains in energy stocks helped offset declines in the consumer discretionary sector, leaving the gauge virtually unchanged on the day. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index and blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average were also little changed after earlier declines.