Close: Stocks edge lower as small caps lag; Nvidia, Exxon gain

U.S. equities ended Tuesday's session modestly lower, based on their ETF proxies. The S&P 500 tracker SPY slipped 0.01% to $778.01, while Nasdaq 100 tracker QQQ fell 0.33% to $743.57 and Dow tracker DIA lost 0.33% to $516.21. Russell 2000 tracker IWM declined 0.43% to $276.70.

Several heavyweight technology stocks finished higher despite the broader declines. Nvidia gained 0.97% to $228.52, near its session high of $228.64; Microsoft rose 0.42% to $543.45, and Apple edged up 0.09% to $341.27. Exxon Mobil advanced 1.12% to $174.08, while JPMorgan Chase fell 0.86% to $331.43, near its session low of $331.17.

Smaller stocks posted sharper losses, with Intuitive Machines falling 5.29% to $12.18 and Plug Power dropping 3.70% to $1.56. Aehr Test Systems lost 0.86% to $77.51, while mid-cap IonQ declined 4.25% to $34.73. Among micro-caps, Duos Technologies slid 4.90% to $6.41 and ClearSign Technologies shed 2.70% to $2.88.

Middle East developments featured prominently in the day's headlines. Reuters reported loud booms near Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran, citing sources, and reported Saudi strikes on Yemen's capital as the Houthis vowed retaliation. Another Reuters headline cited a report that a U.S. blockade had kept Iranian crude exports at zero in October.

Corporate headlines included Citi's profit beating estimates on higher investment-banking, services and wealth revenue, according to Reuters. CNBC reported that Meta shares rose for a second straight day as its new AI model family impressed. Next-session watch points include further developments around Saudi energy infrastructure and Iranian crude exports, alongside whether technology-stock gains broaden beyond Tuesday's winners.