Gold prices rose, while the dollar climbed against most other major global currencies.
The European Central Bank left its interest rates unchanged Thursday, and ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet pointed to clear upside risks to price stability, indicating that the central bank is unlikely to lower its rates in the near future.
The Russell 2000 index fell 1.77, or 0.25 percent, to 714.44.
Advancing issues narrowly outnumbered decliners by about 7 to 6 on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 220.9 million shares.
In overseas trading, Japan's stock market fell 1.13 percent. By afternoon in Europe, Britain's FTSE index fell 0.21 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 0.61 percent, and France's CAC-40 fell 0.54 percent.
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