US stock indexes edge lower in midday trading following a plunge overnight in Japan

Specialists Michael O"Mara, left, and Michael Gagliano, work at their posts on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Nov. 17, 2014. U.S. stocks are mostly lower in early trading following a sharp drop in Japan overnight. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) (The Associated Press)

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Traders Jason Harper, left, and Gregory Rowe uses their mobile phone as they work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Nov. 17, 2014. U.S. stocks opened slightly lower Monday as news overnight that Japan had slid into a recession stoked concerns over a global slowdown. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) (The Associated Press)

Specialist Michael O'Mara looks at the board at his post on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Nov. 17, 2014. Allergan has reached a friendly deal to be acquired by Actavis PLC in a deal valued at $66 billion, while Halliburton is buying rival oilfield services company Baker Hughes in a cash-and-stock deal worth $34.6 billion. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) (The Associated Press)

U.S. stocks are mostly lower in midday trading following a sharp drop in Japan overnight.

U.S. markets are coming off their latest record high.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index edged down two points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,037 as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern time Monday.

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 11 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,623.

The Nasdaq composite fell 25 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,663.

In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei stock index sank 3 percent following news that the country unexpectedly slid into recession.

Energy stocks fell as the price of crude slipped. Oil fell 56 cents to $75.26 a barrel in New York.

Dreamworks Animation plunged 15 percent following a report that talks with Hasbro about a deal had ended.