DOW

Dow

12,068.50

-37.28

-0.31%

By: Abby Schultz, JeeYeon Park

Stocks ended mixed as the Dow and the S&P 500 posted moderate losses, falling for a third straight session, while tech stocks lifted the Nasdaq, as investors kept their attention on the events unfolding in the Middle East

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 37.28 points, or 0.31 percent, to close at 12,068.50, after falling more than 100 points earlier in the session. The blue-chip index sank 107 points amid spreading unrest in the Middle East on Wednesday.

The S&P 500 fell 1.30 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 1,306.10. But the tech-heavy Nasdaq brought some positive news, rising 14.91 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 2,737.90. The CBOE Volatility Index, widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, fell more than 4 percent, below 21, after posting strong gains over the previous two sessions.