U.S. stock indices closed lower on Wednesday amid declines in oil prices after the Energy Information Administration reported a gain in U.S. crude oil inventories.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 117.11 points, or 0.7%, to 17,603.87. The S&P 500 lost 15.00 points, or 0.7%, to 2,063.36 (all of its 10 sectors fell, led by a 1.5% decline in the energy sector). The Nasdaq Composite declined 42.09 points, or 0.8%, to 5,065.85.

U.S. pending home sales fell by 0.9% in November, while economists had expected the index to gain 0.5%. The latest decline suggests that the housing market faced difficulties in winter after a rebound at the beginning of the year.

This morning in Asia Hong Kong Hang Seng added 0.15%, or 32.25, to 21,914.40. China Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.81%, or 29.12, to 3,543.76. Japanese markets are closed today.

Asian stock indices traded mixed in the last session of 2015. Stocks in mainland China declined amid concerns over the country's economic growth.