U.S. Stocks Slide
Stocks fell after a trio of disappointing economic readings overshadowed better-than-expected earnings reports from Travelers and other companies.</br></br>The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 68.65 points, or 0.53%, to 12964.10. The Standard Poor's 500-stock index shed 8.22 points, or 0.59%, to 1376.92, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 23.89 points, or 0.79% to 3007.56.</br></br>The information-technology and industrials sectors led the S&P 500 lower amid downbeat labor, housing and manufacturing readings.</br></br>Just three of the Dow's 30 components advanced. Travelers gained $2.23, or 3.7%, to $61.70 and Verizon Communications rose 49 cents, or 1.3%, to 38.15 after both reported first-quarter results that beat analysts' projections. General Electric gained four cents, or 0.2%, to 19.14 ahead of its results Friday.</br></br>"This whole market ran out of steam halfway through the day," said Jonathan Corpina, senior managing partner of New York Stock Exchange floor broker Meridian Equity Partners. "It just seems to be getting worse and worse as the day goes on. All the European headlines are really catching up right now."