U.S. stocks fell after weak retail sales data tempered enthusiasm about the artificial-intelligence boom that has driven major indexes to record highs.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 107.58 points or 0.20%, to 53732.41, closing within 1.1% of its all-time high. The S&P 500 declined 13.23 points, or 0.17%, to 7785.76 from Thursday's record. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 73.86 points, or 0.28%, to 26729.16, snapping a three-session winning streak.
Retailers' sales fell by 0.6% last month to $763.6 billion, contrary to economists' expectations of a small increase.
The S&P 500 closed at a record high Thursday as investors bet that a combination of moderating inflation and an AI boom would lead to lasting growth in the U.S. economy. But the weak retail data was a reminder that U.S. growth is still largely a function of consumer behavior. An up-tick in oil futures, meanwhile, showed how inflation could persist even if the U.S. economy starts slowing.
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