Stocks falter, giving back some of big gains the day before

FILE - This May 11, 2007, file photo shows a Wall Street sign near the flag-draped facade of the New York Stock Exchange. U.S. stock indexes fell shortly after the opening of trading Tuesday, March 17, 2015, as oil prices continue to slump and investors wait for clues about when the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

By Associated Press March 17, 2015 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – Stock prices are closing mostly lower as traders react to lower oil prices and try to guess when interest rates might start to rise.

Weight Watchers sank 2 percent Tuesday after Credit Suisse downgraded its rating on the stock, saying the company faces tough competition from lower-cost weight loss programs.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 128 points, or 0.7 percent, to 17,849. The Dow jumped 228 points the day before.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 fell seven points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,074. The Nasdaq composite edged up nearly eight points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,937.

The price of oil fell again. U.S. crude is trading at a six-year low.