Investing.com - U.S. stock prices fell on Friday after a closely-watched business activity index fell short of expectations.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.36%, the S&P 500 index was down 0.45%, while the Nasdaq Composite index was down 0.65%.
In the U.S., the Chicago purchasing managers' index dropped to a seasonally adjusted 49.7 compared to 53.0 August.
Analysts had expected the Chicago PMI to remain unchanged at 53.0 in September.
A reading of 50 divides the line between expansion and contraction.
Consumers, meanwhile, remain wary in the world's largest economy, separate data showed.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final index on consumer sentiment for September fell to a seasonally adjusted 78.3 from an initial reading of 79.2.
Analysts had expected the index o fall to 79.0 in September though the figure did outpace the August reading of 74.3.
The data sent stocks falling and the dollar gaining amid a risk-off trading session.
Stocks did trim some of their losses after Spain announced that the country's bank stress tests revealed financial institutions need EUR60 billion to return to health.
The capital shortfall came in largely in line with expectations, which sparked some appetite for risk.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Cisco Systems, up 1.60%, Home Depot, up 0.82%, and IBM, up 0.71%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included Intel, down 1.86%, Bank of America, down 1.67%, and McDonald's, down 1.63%.
European indices, meanwhile, finished lower.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 2.07%, France's CAC 40 fell 2.46%, while Germany's DAX 30 finished down 1.01%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 fell 0.65%.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.36%, the S&P 500 index was down 0.45%, while the Nasdaq Composite index was down 0.65%.
In the U.S., the Chicago purchasing managers' index dropped to a seasonally adjusted 49.7 compared to 53.0 August.
Analysts had expected the Chicago PMI to remain unchanged at 53.0 in September.
A reading of 50 divides the line between expansion and contraction.
Consumers, meanwhile, remain wary in the world's largest economy, separate data showed.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final index on consumer sentiment for September fell to a seasonally adjusted 78.3 from an initial reading of 79.2.
Analysts had expected the index o fall to 79.0 in September though the figure did outpace the August reading of 74.3.
The data sent stocks falling and the dollar gaining amid a risk-off trading session.
Stocks did trim some of their losses after Spain announced that the country's bank stress tests revealed financial institutions need EUR60 billion to return to health.
The capital shortfall came in largely in line with expectations, which sparked some appetite for risk.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Cisco Systems, up 1.60%, Home Depot, up 0.82%, and IBM, up 0.71%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included Intel, down 1.86%, Bank of America, down 1.67%, and McDonald's, down 1.63%.
European indices, meanwhile, finished lower.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 2.07%, France's CAC 40 fell 2.46%, while Germany's DAX 30 finished down 1.01%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 fell 0.65%.