12:43 PM EDT, 08/20/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes slipped in midday trading on Tuesday, taking a breather following recent gains.

The S&P 500 declined 0.3% to 5,594.3, with the Nasdaq Composite down 0.4% to 17,803.2 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 0.2% lower at 40,812.5. Last week was the best for the S&P 500 this year, with the other two indexes heading toward previous record highs.

Energy was the steepest decliner intraday, down 2.3%. Healthcare and consumer staples were among the gainers.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) rebounded 4.9% to 15.36, following a sharp decline last week from a record intraday level of 65.7. The fear gauge has scaled that peak only twice in the past 35 years -- during the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wells Fargo Investment Institute said in a note.

Treasury yields fell, with the 10-year down 4.1 basis points to 3.83%, and the two-year rate slid 6.1 basis points to 4.01%.

Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic and Federal Reserve's Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr are on the speaking circuit for Tuesday.

In company news, Palo Alto Networks ( PANW ) , late Monday, reported a surprise increase in fiscal Q4 earnings as the cybersecurity firm's revenue came in stronger than expected. Its shares jumped 8.5% intraday, the leader on the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq.

Estee Lauder ( EL ) reported mixed fiscal Q4 results, with profit surpassing expectations, RBC Capital Markets said in a note Tuesday. The guidance for fiscal 2025 missed consensus, given conservative estimates for growth, particularly in China. Estee Lauder ( EL ) shares slumped 5.3% intraday, the worst performer on the S&P 500.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil slipped 0.3% to $74.16 a barrel.