The Dow Jones industrial average was off 67.32 or 0.62 percent to 10,717.50 on a volume of 643.8 million shares. That leaves the average down 0.61 percent for the year. Assuming an average yield of 2.4 percent, the average's total return was less than 2 percent.

The Nasdaq composite slid 12.84 or 0.58 percent to 2,205.32, and the Standard & Poor's 500 fell 6.13 or 0.49 percent to 1,248.29.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury note lost 7/32, or $2.19 for every $1,000 invested, to yield 4.393 percent.

The dollar fell to 117.69 yen from 117.83, but the euro eased to $1.1798 from $1.1847.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 closed at 16,111.43 after sliding 232.77 or 1.42 percent, and London's FTSE 100 slid 19.50 or 0.35 percent to settle at 5,618.80.