Stocks halted their recent advance on Monday as the market tested key technical levels and more uncertainty emanating from abroad kept volume at its lowest level of the year.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 22.71 points, or 0.19 percent, to end unofficially at 12,197.88. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 3.61 points, or 0.27 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,310.19. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 12.38 points, or 0.45 percent, to close unofficially at 2,730.68.

(Reporting by Angela Moon; Editing by Jan Paschal)