The broad S&P 500 index retreated 0.7 percent, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 0.6 percent, while the Nasdaq composite index fell 1.0 percent.
Among the losers were several of the index-heavy technology giants. Apple retreated 1.4 percent and Microsoft went down 1.1 percent.
The energy companies fared better since the price of crude oil rose. Exxon Mobil and Chevron climbed 2.3 and 0.8 percent, respectively.