U.S. stocks turned lower heading toward the close on Wednesday as a drag from Boeing Co and Wal-Mart Stores Inc offset gains in the natural resources sector and reassuring profits in banking and technology.

* Boeing shares dropped more than 2 percent following a wider-than-expected quarterly loss from the aircraft maker, while Wal-Mart slid 2.1 percent after the retailer said it would slash prices as it readies for what is likely to be a tough holiday shopping season.

* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 45.12 points, or 0.45 percent, to 9,996.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dropped 2.71 points, or 0.25 percent, to 1,088.35. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 0.89 point, or 0.04 percent, to 2,162.58.

(Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

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