Stocks faltered in choppy trade on Wednesday, dragged lower by energy shares including Exxon Mobil , as the price of oil fell on concerns about curbed demand.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner holds a briefing at 1 p.m. EDT ahead of a weekend meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of 20 rich nations but investors became skeptical he would address the bank plan.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was off 14.01 points, or 0.20 percent, to 6,912.48. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gave up 0.17 points, or 0.02 percent, at 719.43. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 6.47 points, or 0.48 percent, at 1,364.75.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Exxon mobil Timothy geithner