14.03.201721:42:00UTC+00Wall Street Lower as Energy Stocks Drop

U.S. stocks finished slightly lower as energy stocks declined while airline shares weighed on industrial stocks. Hospital operator shares were pressured after a nonpartisan research report revealed that 14 million Americans would lose medical insurance by 2018 under the Republican proposal.

The S&P energy sector lost 1.1 percent to end at its lowest since Nov. 4. Shares of Chevron shed 1.8 percent. Airline stocks fell as a blizzard hit the northeastern United States which resulted in grounding thousands of flights. Shares of United Continental dropped 4.7 percent to $66.55, American Airlines shed 2.7 percent while Southwest Airlines fell 3.0 percent. Among hospital stocks that declined, Tenet Healthcare slipped 3.3 percent, Community Health Systems fell 2.2 percent and HCA Holdings was down 1.5 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.21 percent at 20,837.37, as Walt Disney and Wal-Mart led gains while Chevron lagged behind the most. The S&P 500 dropped 0.34 percent at 2,365.45, with energy leading ten sectors down and consumer discretionary being the only gainer. The Nasdaq composite retreated 0.32 percent at 5,856.82.