Major US stock indices declined moderately on Tuesday, retreating from record levels, as a sharp fall in oil prices affected the shares of energy companies, and the restoration of shares in technical companies was suspended.

Meanwhile, the Commerce Department's report showed that in the first quarter the current account deficit in the US increased slightly as the country imported more oil, spare parts and supplies for its factories. According to the report, the current account deficit increased by 2.4% to $ 116.8 billion. The current account deficit for the fourth quarter of 2016 was revised to $ 114 billion compared to the previously reported $ 112.4 billion. Economists predicted that the deficit would increase to $ 124 billion The current account deficit in the first quarter was 2.5% of gross domestic product, compared to 2.4% in the fourth quarter.

Oil prices fell about 2.0%, reaching 7-month lows. Quotations were pressured by the news of an increase in supply by several key producers, which undermines attempts by OPEC and other countries outside the cartel to support the market by reducing oil production.

Most of the components of the DOW index closed in the red (20 of 30). Most fell shares of General Electric Company (GE, -2.33%). Leader of the growth were shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK, + 1.44%).

Almost all sectors of the S & P index recorded a decline. Most of all fell the sector of basic materials (-1.8%). Growth was demonstrated only by the health sector (+ 0.3%).

At closing:

DJIA -0.29% 21.467.35 -61.64

Nasdaq -0.82% 6,188.03 -50.98

S & P -0.67% 2,437.11 -16.35

U.S. stock-index futures were flat as investors decided to take a pause after the S&P 500 and the Dow settled new record highs at the previous session.

Stocks:

Nikkei 20,230.41 +162.66 +0.81%

Hang Seng 25,843.04 -81.51 -0.31%

Shanghai 3,140.30 -4.07 -0.13%

S&P/ASX 5,757.25 -47.92 -0.83%

FTSE 7,511.36 -12.45 -0.17%

CAC 5,312.64 +1.92 +0.04%

DAX 12,879.18 -9.77 -0.08%

Crude $43.36 (-2.43%)

Gold $1,247.40 (+0.06%)

(company / ticker / price / change ($/%) / volume)

McDonald's (MCD) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Cowen; target raised to $180 from $142

Stocks across Europe leapt Monday, with French shares rising by the most in more than a month after French President Emmanuel Macron's upstart party scored a majority in parliamentary elections on Sunday.

U.S. stocks rose on Monday, with both the Dow and the S&P 500 ending at new records as technology shares rebounded from a recent bout of sharp weakness to lead the market higher.

The Nikkei Stock Average jumped more than 1% to a fresh 22-month high as the yen fell, though other Asia-Pacific markets were relatively quiet following a global rally Monday that pushed some indexes in the U.S. and Europe to fresh highs. In addition, Federal Reserve Bank of New York President William Dudley expressed optimism on Monday about the U.S. economy. He also signaled a willingness by the Fed to continue raising rates gradually.

(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Nikkei +124.49 20067.75 +0.62%

TOPIX +10.03 1606.07 +0.63%

Hang Seng +298.06 25924.55 +1.16%

CSI 300 +34.91 3553.67 +0.99%

Euro Stoxx 50 +35.70 3579.58 +1.01%

FTSE 100 +60.27 7523.81 +0.81%

DAX +136.22 12888.95 +1.07%

CAC 40 +47.41 5310.72 +0.90%

DJIA +144.71 21528.99 +0.68%

S&P 500 +20.31 2453.46 +0.83%

NASDAQ +87.25 6239.01 +1.42%

S&P/TSX +73.50 15266.04 +0.48%