How major US stock indexes fared Wednesday

The Associated Press

Markets turned cautious again, erasing an early gain and ending lower Wednesday as investors try to handicap how much the new coronavirus variant will impact the economy. The latest roller-coaster ride brought the S&P 500 index up early and down by the closing bell. The afternoon reversal is the latest dizzying move in recent days as the omicron variant spreads. Wall Street was already headed lower in the afternoon when the White House announced that the first confirmed case with the omicron variant had been found in the U.S., in a person who recently returned from South Africa.