US stocks closed lower on Wednesday amid uncertainty about whether a deal to avert the \"fiscal cliff\" could be reached by an end-of-year deadline.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 24.42 points (0.19 per cent) to 13,114.6 in closing trade.
The broad-market S&P 500 lost 6.81 points (0.48 per cent) at 1,491.85, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite shed 22.44 points (0.74 per cent) at 2,990.15.
The White House and Congress have until the end of the month to reach a compromise on how to avert a year-end crisis that could lead to stiff tax hikes and drastic budget cuts.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 24.42 points (0.19 per cent) to 13,114.6 in closing trade.
The broad-market S&P 500 lost 6.81 points (0.48 per cent) at 1,491.85, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite shed 22.44 points (0.74 per cent) at 2,990.15.
The White House and Congress have until the end of the month to reach a compromise on how to avert a year-end crisis that could lead to stiff tax hikes and drastic budget cuts.