Stocks finished lower Tuesday, dragged by techs, as investors took profits following the recent stealth rally that briefly took the S&P 500 to its best level in four years earlier in the session.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 68.06 points, or 0.51 percent, to end at 13,203.58, led by Verizon.

The S&P 500 declined 4.96 points, or 0.35 percent, to finish at 1,413.17. The Nasdaq erased 8.95 points, or 0.29 percent, to close at 3,067.26. Earlier, the Nasdaq 100hit an intraday high of 2,799.84, its highest level since December 2000.

The CBOE Volatility Index, widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, closed above 15.

Most key S&P sectors ended lower, led by techs, while financials held small gains.

Earlier, S&P 500 crossed above this year's intraday high of 1,422.38, touching highs not seen since May 2008. The index has climbed more than 3 percent so far in August. (Read More: S&P Facing 25% Drop Before Election? )

“The markets have become so temperamental and sensitive to the smallest piece of information,” said Keith Bliss, senior vice president at Cuttone & Co., adding that investors are booking some profit following the recent rally.

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