New York, Dec. 31 (Petra) - Major U.S. stock indices fell noticeably on Wednesday, marking a year-end decline for the country’s largest financial market.

Ahead of today’s close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped approximately 250 points, while the tech-focused Nasdaq index fell about 150 points. The S&P 500 declined around 30 points.

Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil (West Texas Intermediate) slipped slightly, settling at $57.47 per barrel.

//Petra// AF