US equities were lower in Wednesday afternoon trading, as stocks ended just off worst levels, with the Dow Jones, S&P500, and Nasdaq finishing down 197bps, 168bps, and 139bps respectively. Today's $16B auction of 20-year notes tailed by 1.2bps, with bond yields rising, curve bear steepening, pressuring equities in the afternoon. Mixed retailer earnings, mostly upbeat AI headlines, among corporate news items, while budget reconciliation bill remains stalled and Israeli, Iranian geopolitical tensions in focus.