Mumbai, March 18 -- The US stocks closed lower on Friday, led by technology-related megacaps, while investors weighed the interest rate outlook ahead of next week's Federal Reserve meeting. Nasdaq slumped 1% while the S&P 500 slid 0.7%. Dow fell 0.5%. The major US stock indexes have backed off record highs ahead of the Federal Reserve's all-important March monetary policy meeting. The US central bank is set to release its latest monetary policy decision and updated economic projections at 2:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, preliminary data released by the University of Michigan on Friday showed a slight deterioration in U.S. consumer sentiment in the month of March. The report said the consumer sentiment index edged down to ...