Investing.com - U.S. stocks ended Monday flat to lower after a session void of major U.S. market-moving news, with many investors waiting on the sidelines ahead of the release of retails sales figures due out on Tuesday.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 0.04%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.12%, while the Nasdaq Composite index rose 0.27%.
Investors largely avoided stocks and opted to remain in safe-haven dollar positions ahead of the release of retail sales data in the U.S. on Tuesday.
Market consensus reports peg July retail sales rising 0.3% compared to June's 0.4% growth, which would point to an economy that continues on its path to recovery.
Consumer demand drives about 70% of the U.S. economy, and strong retail sales could send stocks gaining by stoking sentiments that recovery is gaining steam, though murkiness over the fate of monetary stimulus tools such as the Federal Reserve's monthly bond purchases could cap gains.
The Fed is currently buying USD85 billion in Treasury holdings and mortgage debt a month from banks to keep long-term interest rates low across the economy, a stimulus tool known as quantitative easing that pumps up stock prices as a side effect.
Better-than-expected data could prompt the Fed to begin tapering its asset-purchasing program, and investors could avoid stocks at first to see how well they stand up without monetary support.
Elsewhere, sluggish growth figures out of Japan also kept investors on the sidelines.
Preliminary data released earlier revealed that Japan’s economy grew by 0.6% in the second quarter, falling short of expectations for 0.9% growth.
Japan's gross domestic product rose 2.6% on year during the April-to-June quarter, below forecasts for an increase of 3.6%.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Caterpillar, up 2.13%, Cisco, up 1.15%, and Verizon Communications, up 0.69%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included Walt Disney, down 1.22%, Boeing, down 1.03%, and Exxon Mobil, down 0.90%.
European indices, meanwhile, finished mixed.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.04%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.12%, while Germany's DAX 30 finished up 0.25%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 finished down 0.14%.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 0.04%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.12%, while the Nasdaq Composite index rose 0.27%.
Investors largely avoided stocks and opted to remain in safe-haven dollar positions ahead of the release of retail sales data in the U.S. on Tuesday.
Market consensus reports peg July retail sales rising 0.3% compared to June's 0.4% growth, which would point to an economy that continues on its path to recovery.
Consumer demand drives about 70% of the U.S. economy, and strong retail sales could send stocks gaining by stoking sentiments that recovery is gaining steam, though murkiness over the fate of monetary stimulus tools such as the Federal Reserve's monthly bond purchases could cap gains.
The Fed is currently buying USD85 billion in Treasury holdings and mortgage debt a month from banks to keep long-term interest rates low across the economy, a stimulus tool known as quantitative easing that pumps up stock prices as a side effect.
Better-than-expected data could prompt the Fed to begin tapering its asset-purchasing program, and investors could avoid stocks at first to see how well they stand up without monetary support.
Elsewhere, sluggish growth figures out of Japan also kept investors on the sidelines.
Preliminary data released earlier revealed that Japan’s economy grew by 0.6% in the second quarter, falling short of expectations for 0.9% growth.
Japan's gross domestic product rose 2.6% on year during the April-to-June quarter, below forecasts for an increase of 3.6%.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Caterpillar, up 2.13%, Cisco, up 1.15%, and Verizon Communications, up 0.69%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included Walt Disney, down 1.22%, Boeing, down 1.03%, and Exxon Mobil, down 0.90%.
European indices, meanwhile, finished mixed.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 rose 0.04%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.12%, while Germany's DAX 30 finished up 0.25%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 finished down 0.14%.