Shares of energy companies fell sharply alongside oil futures, which retreated below the psychologically significant $40-per-barrel level.
Natural gas prices also fell, retreating 6.6% to $2.61-per-million British thermal units, mostly for technical reasons as the contract for November delivery became the front month contract, taking over from the heavily discounted October contract.
Federal Reserve officials have repeatedly warned that the U.S. economic recovery would be in jeopardy without a second stimulus bill, and an agreement on such a bill remains uncertain even as negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin continue.
Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com
