US indices end in red for fourth consecutive session

US stock indices closed lower on Aug. 20 for the fourth consecutive session, pressured by a negative performance in the technology sector as markets assessed signals from the Federal Reserve meeting minutes.

Dow Jones Industrial Average remained stable at 44,938 points, pressured by a 1.97% decline in Apple shares, which fell to $226.01.

Similarly, the S&P 500 Index fell 0.24%, or 15 points, to 6,395 points, marking its fourth consecutive session of losses. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.67%, or 142 points, to 21,172 points.

As for the European indices, STOXX Europe 600 inched up 0.25% to 559 points, with gains capped by a 2.6% drop in the aerospace and defense sub-index.

CAC 40 edged down 0.1% to 7,973 points, while DAX 40 lost 0.6% to 24,276 points. FTSE 100 gained 1.1% to 9,288 points.

In Japan, Nikkei 225 decreased 1.50% to 42,888 points, while TOPIX retreated 0.55% to 3,098 points.

Brent crude futures for October delivery rose by 1.6%, or $1.05, to $66.84 a barrel at the close.

Meanwhile, US WTI crude futures for September delivery added 1.4%, or 86 cents, to $63.21 a barrel.

As for gold, December futures contracts inched up 0.90%, or $29.8, to $3,388.5 per ounce.

The Federal Reserve released on Aug. 20 the minutes of its July meeting, during which interest rates were held steady. The minutes indicated that the impact of tariffs on inflation is beginning to emerge, though not fully. They also revealed that policymakers remain more concerned about rising inflationary pressures than about weakness in the labor market.