U.S. stocks closed a choppy session little changed on Thursday, erasing initial declines as Treasury yields eased off recent highs after the House of Representatives passed U.S. President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill.

Wall Street, however, has calmed down. And it was not so panicked in the first place. During the recent turbulence, the VIX, a fear gauge, hit only its 24th-highest monthly level in the past 35 years. The index measures expected volatility for American stocks, based on the price investors pay for insurance.

WASHINGTON – A group of Democratic senators is calling on President Donald Trump to push congressional Republicans to end a Wall Street tax break he has long had in his sights.