U.S. stocks closed lower, with utilities dropping more than 1%, as investors digested hawkish rhetoric from Federal Reserve officials and kept an eye on oil prices.

The Dow Jones industrial average briefly fell more than 100 points lower in midmorning trade, before closing about 45 points lower. McDonald's and Wal-Mart contributed the most losses on the index.

The benchmark S&P 500 fell 0.15%, with utilities and telecommunications lagging. Energy, which fell 0.82%, also became the best-performing sector year to date, edging utilities.

Source : XINHUA