The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 7.87 points (0.07 percent) to 11,860.94 in closing trade.
The broader S&P 500 climbed 3.51 points (0.29 percent) to 1,219.26, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 14.32 points (0.56 percent) to 2,555.33.
The main indexes had opened on the upside amid bullish sentiment that lawmakers would pass a budget measure to avert a government shutdown and consumer price data showed inflation remained tame, Charles Schwab analysts said.
Momentum faded in afternoon trading "as the European markets lost ground in late-day action to finish lower, despite no new flare-ups in eurozone debt crisis news and as Italy's parliament passed the nation's recently proposed austerity measures," they said in a research note.