Interest-rate sensitive growth shares were also under pressure from a recent rise in U.S. Treasury yields, sparked by growing angst towards the prospect of interest rate hikes by the Fed to curb inflation. "With interest rates expected to rise this year, there is a likelihood that tech stocks could end up feeling some more pressure," said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research in New York. Shares of oil companies and major Wall Street lenders continued their march higher, with Marathon Petroleum Corp MPC.N and Goldman Sachs Group Inc GS.N leading the packs.