The Standard & Poor's 500 slid 0.05%, or 0.67 points, to 1,385.30. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.02%, or 2.65 points, to 13,073.01. The Nasdaq Composite erased 0.41%, or 12.25 points, to 2,945.84.
"We're getting a big picture that's consistent with the commentary seen out of the U.S. over the last six months, that recovery continues to pace, but there's no boom in sight," said Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney.
"What we're expecting in the U.S. is ongoing modest growth."