Retail stocks gave back some of the gains they’d amassed during five previous winning sessions.
The S&P 500 Retailing Industry Group finished the day at 906.45, 0.5 percent below the point at which it closed before the three-day July 4th weekend.
In the broader market, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gave back 0.3 percent to close at 17.024.14 and the S&P 500 declined 0.4 percent to 1,977.63.
Among fashion, retail and luxury stocks tracked by WWD, issues in decline outnumbered those on the rise by a nearly five-to-one margin, with the largest decline in the WWD sample belonging to The Bon-Ton Stores Inc., off 4.3 percent to $10.53, followed closely by Lululemon Athletica Inc.’s 4.2 percent dip to $40.82 and Vince Holding Corp.’s 4.1 percent slide to $35.20.
Stocks ending the session ahead included Cache Inc., up 4.3 percent to $1.69; Coach Inc., 1.9 percent to $35.82, and American Apparel Inc., up 1.7 percent to 88 cents as investors remained focused on the ongoing conflict between ousted chief executive Dov Charney, its board and its lenders.
European markets also began the week on a down note, with the CAC 40 in Paris leading the way.
The French market fell 1.4 percent to 4,405.76, while the FTSE MIB in Milan was down 1.3 percent to 21,273.22, and the DAX 1 percent to 9,906.07. The FTSE 100 in London contracted least, finishing the day down 0.6 percent to 6,823.51.
Retail and luxury stocks were generally down, with the notable exception of Italia Independent Group, shares of which rose 6.2 percent to 32.70 euros.
Among the stocks that lost the most ground were Aeffe, down 3.3 percent to 1.21 euros; Debenhams, 2.9 percent to 66 pence; Salvatore Ferragamo, 2.1 percent to 21.17 euros, and Burberry Group, 2 percent to 14.29 pounds.
The euro traded at $1.36, while the pound fetched $1.72, and the Swiss franc equaled $1.12.