Investing.com -- U.S. stocks fell broadly on Friday reversing some of the gains from the previous session, as the ongoing Greek Debt crisis and dovish remarks from Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen earlier in the week continued to weigh.
In spite of Friday's mild losses, stocks on the major indices still posted one of their best weeks in two months after Thursday's Fed-inspired surge. It is becoming increasingly likely that the FOMC could wait until December before instituting its first rate hike in nearly a decade, as it looks for stronger indications of improvement in the economy and labor market during the second half of the year.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 101.56 or 0.56% to 18,014.28 snapping a three-day winning streak, while the NASDAQ Composite index lost 15.95 or 0.31% to 5,117.00, slightly below record-highs achieved earlier in the week. For the week, the Dow gained more than 120 points after opening on Monday above 17,890.
The S&P 500 Composite index, meanwhile, dipped 11.48 or 0.54% to 2,109.76, as all 10 sectors closed in the red. Stocks in the Energy, Utilities and Financials sectors lagged, each closing down by at least 0.85%.
Investors also had to contend with a Quadruple Witching session, a quarterly occurrence that transpires when stock options, index options, index futures and single-stock futures all expire on the same session. All four asset classes expire on the third Friday of March, June, September and December each year, as investors must decide whether to hedge their positions or roll them over by the end of the session.
The top performer on the Dow was Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD), which gained 0.58 or 0.52% to 112.43. The worst performer was The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV), which lost 2.02 or 1.99% to 99.45.
The biggest gainer on the NASDAQ was American Airlines Group (MX:AAL), which gained 1.59 or 3.96% to 41.56. The worst performer was VimpelCom (NASDAQ:VIP), which fell 0.15 or 2.62% to 5.40. VimpelCom finished just below Wynn Resorts Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN), which dropped 2.15 or 2.04% to 103.11.
On the S&P 500, ConAgra Foods Inc (NYSE:CAG) finished as the top performer after gaining 4.23 or 10.80 to 43.35, after hedge fund Jana Partners disclosed a 7.2% stake in the Omaha-based packaged foods company. The worst performer was Macerich Company (NYSE:MAC), which slid 5.79 or 7.02% to 76.66 amid reports that Simon Property Group Inc (NYSE:SPG) is ready to unload its stake in the third-largest mall owner in the country.
Shares in Fogo de Chao soared 5.75 or 28.75% to 25.75, after the Brazilian steakhouse chain debuted with a $20 IPO on Friday.
On the New York Stock Exchange, decliners outnumbered advancers by a 1,849 to 1,292 margin.