NEW YORK — The stock market seesawed all day and finally ended trading at the bell with the Dow Jones Industrial average down 0.53 percent, to 12,050.41.
In sympathy, many retail stocks continued to dip Monday. Overall, specialty retailers took bigger hits than their department store and discounter counterparts.
The two major discounters closed relatively unscathed; Wal-Mart was down 0.71 percent, to $47.47, and Target shed 2.03 percent, to close at $59.79.
Federated Department Stores dropped just 0.18 percent, to $44.17, while Saks slumped 2.58 percent, to $18.16. Of those in the department store category, Nordstrom had the biggest drop, falling 3.66 percent to close at $50.49.
Shareholders of Sears Holdings Corp. had something to cheer about as the stock rose 0.49 percent to close at $177.75.
Among the specialty retailers, teen apparel companies American Eagle Outfitters and Abercrombie & Fitch respectively fell 3.12 percent, to $28.87, and 2.03 percent, to $73.42. Limited Brands declined 4.82 percent, to $25.06, and Gap was down 2.83 percent, to $17.88.