NEW YORK—Stocks drifted to a mixed finish Monday, as Wall Street waited for the results of a pivotal meeting meant to avoid a potentially disastrous default on the U.S. government’s debt.
The S&P 500 was at a virtual standstill after flipping between small gains and losses through the day. It edged up by 0.65, or less than 0.1 percent, to 4,192.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 140.05 points, or 0.4 percent, to 33,286.58, and the Nasdaq composite rose 62.88, or 0.5 percent, to 12,720.78.
The stock market is near its highest level since August, but it’s been mostly remaining within a tight range for weeks as several big worries weigh. The biggest near-term risk is the possibility of a U.S. default, something that could occur as soon as June 1….