The Dow Jones Industrials dropped 29.09 points to start Tuesday at 33,257.49.
The S&P 500 handed back 13.11 points to 4,179.52.
The NASDAQ backpedaled 26.21 points to 12,694.57.
McCarthy and Biden met at the White House Monday evening, in a discussion that the House speaker described as “productive” and “professional.” The latest hourlong talk – occurring just days before the earliest date that the U.S. could default on its debt – concluded without a resolution but seemed to echo a more positive tone.
Elsewhere, Apple moved slightly lower after announcing a multibillion-dollar chip production deal with Broadcom. The chip stock gained 1%. Chevron added about 3% on an upgrade from HSBC.
Stocks are coming off a mixed session that saw the Dow lose about 0.4% AND S&P 500 finished little changed. The NASDAQ rose 0.5% to touch its highest intraday level and highest close since August.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury skidded a bit, raising yields to 3.72% from Monday’s 3.71%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices added $1.19 to $73.24 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices removed $2.50 to $1,974.70 U.S. an ounce.