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New York - US stocks fell in a broad selloff on Monday, with the S&P 500 suffering its biggest one-day drop in more than a month, as economic data indicated weakness across the globe and the US holiday shopping season got off to a tepid start.
The day's losses were broad, with seven of the ten primary S&P 500 sectors lower on the day. Only one group - utilities , which are a defensive play - rose sharply, while energy shares inched up a mere 0.1% despite a rebound of 3.7% in the price of crude oil.
Apple was one of the biggest weights on the session, falling 2.3% to $116.15 in its biggest one-day decline since September. The tech giant tumbled shortly after the open, falling more than 3% in a minute that also saw the largest one-minute volume in more than a month.
Industrials were the worst-performing sector in the S&P as the US manufacturing sector's growth rate slowed for a third straight month in November to its most sluggish since January, according to Markit. The ISM report also showed a slowing pace of growth, though it was stronger than expected.
Manufacturing growth across Asia and Europe eased last month as heavy price cuts failed to revive demand.
"We're watch growth struggle, especially outside the United States," said Mark Martiak, senior wealth strategist at Premier Wealth/First Allied Securities in New York. "Investors may be overly complacent."
Equities have been strong of late, with major indices hitting multiple records last week and closing out a sixth straight week of gains.
Early holiday promotions and the growing appeal of online shopping took a toll on in-store US sales during the Thanksgiving weekend as shoppers on average spent 6.4% less than they did a year earlier, according to data released Sunday by an industry group. Target Corp fell 1.5% to $72.90.
At 18:25 GMT, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 11.27 points, or 0.06%, to 17 816.97, the S&P 500 lost 9.05 points, or 0.44%, to 2 058.51 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 45.06 points, or 0.94%, to 4 746.57.
While the rise in crude oil didn't translate to the overall energy sector, some names in the group rallied. Occidental Petroleum surged 4.4% to $79.89 while Chevron was up 2.6% to $111.67, limiting the Dow's decline.
Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by 2 183 to 868, for a 2.51-to-1 ratio; on the Nasdaq, 1 958 issues fell and 719 advanced for a 2.72-to-1 ratio.
The benchmark S&P 500 index was posting 101 new 52-week highs and 25 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite was recording 99 new highs and 142 new lows.
