Stocks end lower as Nasdaq stays above 5000

Stocks ended lower Monday -- the Dow and S&P 500 lurching into negative territory just ahead of the closing bell -- as investors paused after last week's strong gains that sent major indexes toward record territory.

The recent rally was sparked by news that even though the Fed dropped the word patient when it comes to raising rates from its most recent statement, the central bank will not be "impatient" and move too fast to raise rates too soon.

The Nasdaq composite lost 15 points, or 0.3% to finish at 5010.97. The tech-heavy index closed Friday only 22 points away from its all-time closing high of 5048.62, set March 10, 2000.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost about 12 points, less than 0.1%, to end at 18,116.04. The Standard & Poor's 500 index shed about 4 points, 0.2%, to end at 2104.42 after coming within 3 points of its record closing high of 2117.39.

Oil prices rose as U.S. benchmark crude gained 1.8% to $47.40 a barrel.

In Europe, traders were looking to a meeting on Monday between the leaders of Greece and key creditor Germany for signs of progress in Greece's debt negotiations. The country is in talks with its European rescue lenders on what reforms it must make to be eligible to receive more loans.

Although Greece faces a cash crunch in coming weeks, the talks have been slow and investors are hoping that the meeting between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and German Chancellor Angela Merkel can get them moving.

European stocks ended mixed Monday as Britain's FTSE 100 climbed 1.1% and Germany's DAX index dropped 1.2%.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 index gained 1% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.5%. The Shanghai Composite gained 2%.

Stocks ended sharply higher Friday as the Nasdaq jumped back above 5000 and moved within striking distance of its record closing high of 5048.62, set in March 2000.

Contributing: Adam Shell, The Associated Press