US stocks finished lower Monday, giving up early gains as the prospect that interest rates might rise as soon as next month weighed on utilities shares.

    The S&P 500 index SPX, -0.21% ended 4.28 points, or 0.2%, lower at 2,048.04, its second loss in the past three days. The Nasdaq COMP, -0.08% slipped 3.78 points, or 0.1%, to 4,765.78 also its second drop in three days. 

    The Dow industrials DJIA, -0.05% shed 8.01 points, or 0.1%, to 17,492.93, to log its fourth drop in the past five days.