(Source: United Press International)U.S. markets lost ground Wednesday after the Commerce Department said retail sales dropped 0.4 percent in April after a 1.3 percent decline in March.
In midmorning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 147.82 points, or 1.75 percent, to 8,321.29. The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 1.76 percent, 16.03 points, to 892.32. The Nasdaq composite index dropped 28.68 points, 1.67 percent, to 1,687.24.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury bond rose 16/32 to yield 3.121 percent.
The euro fell to $1.3588, compared to Tuesday's $1.364. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar fell to 96.04 yen, compared to Tuesday's 96.37 yen.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei average rose 0.45 percent, 41.88 points to 9,340.49.
