NEW YORK – The latest on developments in financial markets (All times local):

4:00 p.m.

Stocks pulled back on Wall Street, giving back some of their gains from a day earlier.

Retailers and advertising companies had some of the steepest drops Wednesday as investors worried about their earnings.

Lowe’s sank 3.7 per cent after reporting second-quarter earnings that were weaker than analysts expected. La-Z-Boy plunged 20 per cent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 8 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 2,444.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 87 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 21,812. The Nasdaq composite fell 19 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 6,278.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.17 per cent.

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11:45 a.m.

Stocks are slipping in midday trading on Wall Street as the market gives back some of the big gain it made a day earlier.

The market started broadly lower Wednesday, but the losses moderated as the morning progressed.

Retailers and health care companies did worse than the rest of the market.

Lowe’s sank 6 per cent after reporting second-quarter earnings that were weaker than analysts expected. Johnson & Johnson fell 1.1 per cent.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 4 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 2,448.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 43 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 21,856. The Nasdaq composite fell 9 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 6,288.

Small-company stocks did better than large ones. The Russell 2000 index edged up 1 point to 1,372.

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9:35 a.m.

Technology companies and retailers are leading U.S. stocks lower in early trading on Wall Street.

Lowe’s sank 5 per cent early Wednesday after reporting second-quarter earnings that were weaker than analysts expected. Seagate Technology fell 4.4 per cent.

La-Z-Boy dropped 18 per cent after its earnings missed estimates. The company said its most profitable business, upholstery manufacturing, struggled and costs were high because of acquisitions.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 8 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 2,444.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 68 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 21,829. The Nasdaq composite fell 21 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 6,275.