US equity markets ended a choppy session nursing modest losses, with the benchmark indices losing their earlier positive momentum in the closing hour of trade - Dow down -121-points or -0.47%, more than erasing an earlier +155-point rally. The broader S&P500 -0.32%, with Financials (down -0.70%) and Energy (-0.62%) the worst performers of the eight primary sectors that closed in the red. Utilities (up +0.14%), Communication Services (+0.10%) and Materials (0.10%) were the only sectors to advance., The NASDAQ -0.34%. In merger and acquisition news, tobacco companies Altria Group Inc (down -3.99%) and Philip Morris International Inc (down -7.76%) confirmed that they were in talks about a potential all-stock merger of equals