Retail Stocks Log Biggest Loss of Year

Retail shares ended a tough week and month with their worst performance of the year as concerns about emerging markets and fourth-quarter financial performance continued to weigh on the investment community.

The S&P 500 Retailing Industry Group fell 2.6 percent to 867.60, leaving it off 2.8 percent for the week and down 7.7 percent for January. Finishing the worst performance by the major indices since May 2012, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.9 percent to 15,698.85 and the S&P 500 lost 0.7 percent to end the day, week and month at 1,782.59.