Mumbai, July 23 -- US stocks quickly encountered profit-taking pressure after a sharp short-term rebound, with the S&P 500 flipping into negative territory just one day after its best single-session performance in weeks. Market reports indicated that pullbacks in some large-cap technology stocks, which had run up significantly, offset strong gains in the energy sector, dragging the broader market lower. Energy stocks emerged as a bright spot, benefiting from a sharp escalation in geopolitical risks and rising international oil prices.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down 6.06 points, or less than 0.01%, to close at 52,218.58. The S&P 500 fell 10.24 points (0.14%) to settle at 7,498.96. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite suffered a st...