At the close of the New York Stock Exchange, the Dow Jones fell 0.76%, the S&P 500 fell 0.76%, and the NASDAQ Composite index fell 0.96%.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated was the top performer among the components of the Dow Jones index today, up 8.12 points or 1.71% to close at 484.36. Quotes Merck & Company Inc rose by 1.11 points (1.02%), ending trading at 109.90. Chevron Corp rose 1.77 points or 1.00% to close at 179.00.

The least gainers were Home Depot Inc, which shed 12.81 points or 3.96% to end the session at 310.88. 3M Company was up 3.52% or 4.32 points to close at 118.43, while American Express Company was down 2.37% or 3.57 points to close at 146. 85.

Among the S&P 500 index components gainers in today's trading were Comerica Inc, which rose 5.91% to 69.84, M&T Bank Corp, which gained 5.49% to close at 153.81, and shares of Truist Financial Corp, which rose 4.31% to end the session at 47.71.

The least gainers were Enphase Energy Inc, which shed 10.92% to close at 222.97. Shares of SolarEdge Technologies Inc lost 10.32% to end the session at 286.72. Quotes Northern Trust Corporation fell in price by 8.60% to 90.46.

Leading gainers among the components of the NASDAQ Composite in today's trading were Neurosense Therapeutics Ltd, which rose 76.19% to hit 2.22, Salarius Pharmaceuticals Inc, which gained 52.99% to close at 3.58, and also shares of Cuentas Inc, which rose 40.48% to end the session at 0.59.

The least gainers were Jupiter Wellness Inc, which shed 38.81% to close at 0.62. Shares of Aceragen Inc lost 33.33% and ended the session at 5.76. Quotes of SurModics Inc decreased in price by 29.35% to 26.38.

On the New York Stock Exchange, the number of securities that fell in price (1842) exceeded the number of those that closed in positive territory (1204), while quotes of 91 shares remained virtually unchanged. On the NASDAQ stock exchange, 2,337 stocks fell, 1,353 rose, and 190 remained at the previous close.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which is based on S&P 500 options trading, rose 0.88% to 20.52.

Gold futures for February delivery added 1.41%, or 26.90, to $1.00 a troy ounce. In other commodities, WTI crude for March delivery rose 1.22%, or 0.97, to $80.77 a barrel. Futures for Brent crude for March delivery rose 1.51%, or 1.28, to $86.26 a barrel.

Meanwhile, in the forex market, the EUR/USD pair remained unchanged 0.38% to 1.08, while USD/JPY fell 0.38% to hit 128.38.

Futures on the USD index fell 0.28% to 101.82.