NEW YORK - US stocks ended Wednesday modestly in the red following disappointing eurozone data that added to signs of recession in the debt-wracked region.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 27.02 points lower (0.21 per cent) at 12,938.67.

The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite shed 15.40 points (0.52 per cent) to 2,933.17, and the Standard & Poor's 500 index, a broad measure of the markets, lost 4.55 points (0.33 per cent) to 1,357.66.

"US stocks finished modestly lower after hovering just below the flatline for most of the day, as some disappointing economic data from the eurozone rekindled recession concerns in the region," Charles Schwab analysts said.

On the blue-chip Dow, Wal-Mart was the steepest decliner, down 2.5 per cent, extending Tuesday's slide following disappointing quarterly earnings.

Fellow Dow member Bank of America lost nearly 2.0 per cent, while Hewlett-Packard dropped 1.3 per cent.

Computer maker Dell fell 5.8 per cent after posting fourth-quarter earnings a hair below Wall Street expectations.

After the market closed, H-P reported profit skidded 44 per cent in its first quarter.

General Motors shed 1.9 per cent. The French government announced that GM and French carmaker PSA Peugeot are in talks to forge a strategic partnership.

On Tuesday the Dow topped 13,000 for the first time since May 2008 but ended the session nearly flat amid news of the new bailout deal for Greece, soaring oil prices and disappointing Wal-Mart earnings.

Bond prices surged higher as investors fled equities. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 2.00 per cent from 2.05 per cent on Tuesday, while the 30-year dropped to 3.14 per cent from 3.19 per cent.

Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions.