The Dow Jones industrial average fell 11.55 to 6,418.47, marking only the second time in 14 sessions that the blue-chip barometer has fallen. Yesterday the Dow crossed the 6,400 mark for the first time en route to its 10th record close in the 11 sessions since Election Day.
The number of advancers matched decliners on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,214 up, 1,214 down and 887 unchanged. NYSE volume totaled 468.70 million shares vs. 489.40 million yesterday.
The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index fell 1.23 to 742.72, and the NYSE's composite index fell 0.55 to 392.25. Both measures closed at record highs yesterday.
The Nasdaq composite index fell 6.87 to 1,258.07, while the American Stock Exchange index rose 0.57 to 587.76.
Broad-market indexes were mostly lower, with the technology-laden Nasdaq market showing the widest loss.
Computer-related shares stumbled through the session following yesterday's late profit-taking.
Stocks continued to take their lead from the bond market, which meandered through the session before turning lower in the afternoon and lifting rates from late yesterday's eight-month low.
The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond dipped toward 6.38 percent, down from late yesterday's 6.40 percent. By late-afternoon, however, the yield rose to 6.42 percent.