Stocks finished lower on Thursday after two days of gains as crude futures edged higher for the first time in four sessions, raising investors’ anxieties about interest rates in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 37.57, or 0.4 percent, to 10,595.93. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index slid 4.69, or 0.4 percent, to 1,231.67. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 6, or 0.3 percent, to 2,166.03.

An inventory report from the Energy Department showed the nation’s oil and gasoline stockpiles fell sharply, although the losses were less than Wall Street had expected. A barrel of light crude settled at $64.49, up 12 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The rise in fuel prices following Hurricane Katrina’s destruction has made investors worried about consumer spending and the outlook for corporate profits. Some analysts believe inflationary pressures will be aggravated by higher energy prices.

Among local companies, shares of UTI Worldwide Inc. rose 3.9 percent to $76.02 after the Rancho Dominguez-based logistics company said that second-quarter profit rose 38 percent, beating analyst estimates, as revenue grew across all segments. Net income was reported as $22.3 million (69 cents per diluted share), compared with $16.2 million (51 cents) a year earlier.

Bell Industries Inc. gained 3.7 percent to $2.53 after it said it rejected an unsolicited takeover bid from Zeff Capital Partners LLC to buy the El Segundo-based provider of computer support services. The offer valued Bell at about $21.6 million based on nearly 8.5 million shares outstanding. Bell Industries’ board said it considered the offer from the San Francisco hedge fund but concluded it was “inadequate.”

On the down side, shares of a number of homebuilders declined including KB Home, which lost 1.6 percent to $74.69 after New Jersey homebuilder Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. failed to meet Wall Street expectations for its third-quarter profit, dragging down the sector.

And Capstone Turbine Corp. dipped 3 percent to $4.93 after the microturbine technology manufacturer filed with regulators to periodically sell up to $150 million in common and preferred stock and debt securities. The Chatsworth-based company said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it would use the proceeds for general corporate purposes.