The stock market closed mixed Wednesday, with the Dow Jones industrial average lagging the major indexes.
The Dow closed 0.2% lower while the S&P 500 edged up 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite gained less than 0.2%. The S&P and Nasdaq erased mild losses earlier in the day, continuing a pattern of mild price changes.
Small caps lagged again, with the Russell 2000 dropping about 0.2%. Volume was moderately higher, according to early figures. Winners led losers by a 9-to-7 ratio on the NYSE and by 6-to-5 on the Nasdaq.
After the close, cybersecurity company Qualys (QLYS) slid in extended trading. The company's fourth-quarter sales missed views and its guidance was weak. Chipmaker MaxLinear (MXL) also tumbled after hours. Its Q4 results beat estimates but the Q1 revenue forecast was light.
There was some cheer for the struggling retail sector. Department stores, discount shops, apparel chains, restaurants and auto parts stores were among the 12 best-performing industry groups in today's market.
Some retail stocks fell earlier Wednesday after President Trump took to Twitter to attack Nordstrom (JWN) for dropping his daughter Ivanka's fashion line. But Nordstrom shares rose in late trading and closed with a 4% increase.
Nearly all eight stocks that make up the department-stores group were up, though they are barely starting to recover from 52-week lows or worse.
The retail sector has deeper problems than Trump tweets or political boycotts. Brick-and-mortar stores continue to be pressured by Amazon.com (AMZN) and other online sellers.
The mobile-home and RV industry also led, as Thor Industries (THO) broke out of a cup-with-handle base. The RV manufacturer surged past the 106.43 buy point and closed in buy range. But the base is a later-stage pattern, and volume was less than enthusiastic on the breakout. An analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co. upgraded Thor to outperform from neutral, citing optimism among dealers and upside potential on margins, according to TheFly.com.
Steel, heavy-construction and some other cyclical stocks lagged. Banks and financials also were weak as bond yields continued to drop, threatening margins. Bank of America (BAC), Goldman Sachs (GS) and Wells Fargo (WFC) touched their 50-day lines, where they now test support.
On Thursday, earnings are due out from Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Beazer Homes (BZH), Coca Cola (KO) and Cummins (CMI). Nvidia (NVDA), a chip stock that's been trying to break out, also announces results Thursday after the close.
The most noteworthy economic report Thursday is the weekly jobless claims, which is released at 8:30 a.m. ET.
RELATED:
The President Finally Weighs In On Nordstrom's Ivanka Trump Dump
BofA, Dow Stocks JPMorgan, Goldman Test Support As Yields Fall
