US market closed mostly lower on worries of weak retail sales

16 Feb 2013 Evaluate

The US markets closed mostly lower on Friday, as a choppy trading day was buffeted by worries of weak retail sales and supported by positive economic data. Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest retailer is scheduled to report fourth-quarter earnings on February 21. Consumer spending, as evidenced by earnings reports from other retail-focused companies, has been a relative bright spot in the slow-going economic recovery. There are reports that February sales for the world’s biggest retailer are off to the worst monthly start in seven years. The street will also pay attention to any developments in the effort to head off looming sharp cuts to defense and domestic spending.  Senate Democrats offered a plan that would come up with half of the $110 billion needed to prevent the sharp cuts - known as the sequester - through new revenue, and half through spending cuts. On the economy front, the manufacturing activity in the New York region expanded for the first time in seven months, raising hopes of new momentum in the factory sector. The Empire State index jumped to 10 in February from negative 7.8 in the prior month, according to the manufacturing survey released by the New York Federal Reserve. The improvement was much bigger than expected.

Besides, a gauge of consumer sentiment rose to the highest level in three months, exceeding estimates. The University of Michigan- consumer-sentiment gauge rose to a preliminary February reading of 76.3 - the highest level since November - from a final January reading of 73.8. On the other hand, industrial production slipped in January, after the Federal Reserve found the final two months of last year were stronger than initially estimated. Industrial production slipped 0.1% in January, the Fed stated, after gains of 1.4% in November and 0.4% in December. The Fed had initially estimated gains of 1% in November and 0.3% in December.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 8.37 points or 0.06 percent to 13,981.80, the Nasdaq lost 6.63 points or 0.21 percent to 3,192.03 and the S&P 500 was down by 1.59 points or 0.10 percent to 1,519.79.

Indian ADRs closed mostly in red on Friday, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was down 0.94%, ICICI Bank was down 0.81% and Infosys was down by 0.23%. On the flip side, Tata Motors was up 0.61% and Wipro was up 0.01%.

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