• (FILES) This file photo taken on March 2, 2017 shows a Snap Inc. banner covering the facade of the New York Stock Exchange in New York. Snapchat parent Snap Inc. disclosed on November 8, 2017 that Chinese tech giant Tencent had taken a 12 percent stake, in a sign of confidence in the social network which has delivered disappointing results since its share offering this year.A securities filing showed Tencent Holdings had purchased some 146 million shares of Snap non-voting stock in open market purchases in November. / AFP PHOTO / Bryan R. SmithBRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images Photo: BRYAN R. SMITH / AFP or licensors
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(FILES) This file photo taken on March 2, 2017 shows a Snap Inc. banner covering the facade of the New York Stock Exchange in New York. Snapchat parent Snap Inc. disclosed on November 8, 2017 that Chinese tech giant Tencent had taken a 12 percent stake, in a sign of confidence in the social network which has delivered disappointing results since its share offering this year.A securities filing showed Tencent Holdings had purchased some 146 million shares of Snap non-voting stock in open market purchases in November. / AFP PHOTO / Bryan R. SmithBRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images less
(FILES) This file photo taken on March 2, 2017 shows a Snap Inc. banner covering the facade of the New York Stock Exchange in New York. Snapchat parent Snap Inc. disclosed on November 8, 2017 that Chinese tech ... more
Photo: BRYAN R. SMITH

New York

Companies including banks and technology and health care firms fell Wednesday after U.S. stocks had surged the day before. Oil prices hit a three-year high after President Donald trump tweeted that the U.S. will launch missiles at targets in Syria.

Other than energy companies, stocks were slightly lower for most of the day. Banks slipped along with interest rates while health care and technology companies gave up some of the big gains they made on Tuesday. Trump said the U.S. will respond to the recent suspected chemical attack and Saudi Arabia said it intercepted missiles fired by rebels in Yemen. Fighting in the Middle East could restrict oil supplies and push prices higher.

The Federal Reserve released minutes from its meeting in March. Some policymakers felt the central bank may have to increase rates more quickly in response to faster economic growth and rising inflation, and it might have to focus on slowing the economy to keep inflation under control. The market didn't react dramatically to that development, but stock indexes trailed off in the afternoon.

Simona Mocuta, senior economist for State Street Global Advisors, said it's a challenge for investors to respond to events like possible strikes in Syria because it's not clear what the outcomes will be.

"There is so much uncertainty about the geopolitics that it's hard for the market even to price on a day-to-day basis," she said.

The S&P 500 index fell 14.68 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,642.19 after it surged 1.7 percent Tuesday. The Dow Jones industrial average slid 218.55 points, or 0.9 percent, to 24,189.45. The Nasdaq composite lost 25.27 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,069.03. But the Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks rose 3.36 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,546.70, and most of the stocks on the New York Stock Exchange finished higher.

Facebook stock continued to rise as CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress for a second day. The stock rose 0.8 percent to $166.32 Wednesday. Other social media companies also rallied over the past two days. Snap, the parent of Snapchat, rose 2.2 percent, to $14.80. Twitter slipped 0.5 percent to $29.39 after a 5.4 percent gain Tuesday.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.78 percent from 2.80 percent. That put pressure on banks. When bond yields fall, it forces interest rates on mortgages and other kinds of loans lower, meaning lower profits for banks. JPMorgan Chase fell 1.7 percent to $110.62 and Bank of America declined 1.9 percent to $29.90.