The WWD Global Stock Tracker fell along with major world markets, dropping 0.8 percent for its first close below its starting point of 100 since Aug. 20.
The tracker ended the day at 99.81 with its percentage drop higher than the 0.6 percent decline in the S&P 500 but below the 1.9 percent decline for Paris’s CAC 40 or the 1.4 percent drop in London’s FTSE 100. The Nikkei 225 was closed for celebration of the autumnal equinox, but Shanghai’s SSE Composite Index managed a 0.9 percent advance.
Markets around the world were rattled by word of the military strikes against ISIS in Syria, with European markets also dealing with a fall in Markit’s montly composite purchasing managers index.
The steepest decline among tracker stocks came from Ascena Retail Group Inc., shares of which dropped 16.8 percent to $13.75 after the owner of the Justice and Lane Bryant chains late Monday reported larger-than-expected declines in fourth-quarter sales and profits and provided initial guidance for fiscal 2015 that was similarly below analysts’ consensus estimates.
Related Galleries
Three tracker stocks surrendered 3.1 percent of their value — Pandora, which closed at 450 Danish kroner, or $77.68 at current exchange; Revlon, which ended the day at $32.02, and Quiksilver Inc., which landed at $1.90.
Marks and Spencer Group plc was off just slightly less, down 2.9 percent to 4.21 pounds, or $6.88.
Yoox.com enjoyed the best performance on a tough day, rising 3.9 percent to 18.01 euros, or $23.14, with American Eagle Outfitters Inc. the only other tracker stock to rise as much as 3 percent, up 3.8 percent to $14.66. Investors responded to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission showing that Jay Schottenstein, chairman and interim chief executive officer of American Eagle, had purchased nearly 149,000 additional shares of the company’s stock.
Esprit Holdings Ltd.’s shares added 2.7 percent to close at 12.74 Hong Kong dollars, or $1.64, after it reported that it registered a net profit for the 12 months ended June 30 versus a net loss in the prior year. Perry Ellis International Inc. shares rose 1.2 percent to $20.90 while both Sears Holdings Corp. and Youngor Group Co. were up 1.1 percent, to $27.71 and 8.03 yuan, or $1.31, respectively.