US equity markets retreated after a choppy session, with investors parsing the latest earnings results from retailers - Dow slipped -39-points or -0.12%, The broader S&P500 fell -0.83%, with Energy (down -2.15%), Consumer Discretionary (-1.46%) and Information Technology (-1.45%) all fell over >1.5% to lead nine of the eleven primary sectors lower. The more defensive Utilities (up +0.87%) and Consumer Staples (+0.46%) were the only primary sectors to advance. The Nasdaq -1.52%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 lost -0.49%.