Slide in energy sector drags US stock market lower; Dow down 153, S&P off 1.7 pct.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks ended Wednesday lower, breaking a four-day winning streak, as a drop in the price of oil dragged energy companies lower.<br /> <br /> The energy sector in the Standard & Poor's 500 index sank 1.7 percent, more than twice as much as the rest of the market. Small-company stocks and transportation shares also fell sharply as traders unloaded riskier assets.<br /> <br /> The market started higher, then turned lower at midday as the price of oil fell. Traders have worried about a steady decline in the price of oil as global demand for energy recedes.<br /> <br /> The S&P 500 index fell 14 points, or 0.7 percent, to 1,927 Wednesday.<br /> <br /> The Dow Jones industrial average gave up 153 points, or 0.9 percent, to 16,461. The Nasdaq composite fell 36 points, or 0.8 percent, to 4,382.