Investing.com - U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday on news of a shooting at Canada's Parliament that left a soldier and the gunman dead, while falling oil prices brought stocks down lower as well.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow 30 fell 0.92%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.73%, while the NASDAQ Composite index fell 0.83%.
The CBOE Volatility Index index, which measures the outlook for market volatility, was up 11.13% at 17.87.
A gunman shot a soldier in Ottawa earlier at the National War Memorial, and while authorities took out the shooter, news reports of gunfire also taking place inside the halls of Parliament alongside talk of possible accomplices spooked markets and sent stock prices falling earlier.
Lower oil price took their toll on stocks, energy companies namely.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its weekly report that U.S. crude oil inventories rose by 7.1 million barrels in the week ended Oct. 17, far outpacing expectations for a gain of 2.7 million barrels.
Total U.S. crude oil inventories stood at 377.7 million barrels as of last week.
The report also showed that total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 1.3 million barrels, compared to forecasts for a decline of 1.0 million barrels, while distillate stockpiles increased by 1.0 million barrels.
In corporate news, Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) stocks took a hit despite reporting better-than-expected earnings and an upward revision to its outlook, as investors sold on concern about costs surrounding its 787 Dreamliner.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV), up 1.42%, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), up 0.86%, and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK), up 0.69%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), down 4.46%, American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), down 1.96%, and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS), down 1.86%.
European indices, meanwhile, ended the day higher.
After the close of European trade, the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 rose 0.46%, France's CAC 40 rose 0.58%, while Germany's DAX rose 0.60%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 rose 0.43%.
On Thursday, the U.S. is to publish its weekly report on initial jobless claims.