NEW YORK, June 3 (Reuters) - Wall Street stocks retreated from record highs on Wednesday as rising tensions in the Middle East and higher crude oil prices fueled inflation concerns and prompted investors to take some profits.

The three major U.S. stock indexes closed lower, weighed down by the financial services and technology sectors, with the Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks underperforming its larger-cap counterparts.

Shares of chipmakers rose, indicating that enthusiasm for artificial intelligence remains strong. However, most shares of the Big Seven, the group of leading AI-related companies, declined.

Ross Mayfield, an investment strategist at Bird in Louisville, Kentucky, said, "AI stocks are trading as if they exist in a completely separate universe, and are largely unconcerned with macroeconomic and geopolitical risks, at least to a reasonable extent... Therefore, there will be demand for those stocks, especially on days when the rest of the assets look less attractive."

The S&P 500's software and services sub-index declined. The index has been hit hard in recent months by concerns about potential disruptions caused by artificial intelligence.

Preliminary data indicates that the S&P 500 closed down 54.11 points, or 0.74 percent, at 7,555.67, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 230.97 points, or 0.85 percent, to 26,862.93. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 581.84 points, or 1.13 percent, to 51,076.85.