Stocks dip mostly lower; retail companies rise

The Associated Press

Stocks were losing momentum in Wednesday afternoon, putting the S&P 500 barely below the record high it set on Monday. The S&P 500 was down less than 0.1%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.2% and the Nasdaq fell 0. 4%. All three indexes started the day slightly in the green. Retailers and companies reliant on consumer spending were also among the better performers coming off the Christmas holiday shopping season. With three trading days left in the year, the S&P 500 is headed for a gain of more than 27% for 2021, nearly as big as its gain in 2019.