Equities Close Lower, Yields Rise, Yen Slumps after BoJ Talks Down Rate Increases

WALL STREET - NEW YORK/LONDON. Wall Street equity indexes closed lower after Wednesday's choppy session while a bond auction pushed Treasury yields higher and the dollar rose against the yen after cautious central banker comments.

Oil prices rose after a bigger-than-expected draw in U.S. crude stockpiles and on potential escalation in the Middle East, even as investors worried about weak demand in China.