Stocks Go South at Bell

Stocks took a modest dip at the open, amid a weak round of retail sales numbers and general economic pessimism. The Dow fell 81 points, while the S&P and Nasdaq dropped 1.3% and 1.4% respectively, the Wall Street Journal reports. Stocks started to the downside yesterday, but finished up 172 after a report that the Treasury would cut mortgage rates.

Bargain hunters are still flocking to Wal-Mart, which saw sales climb 3.4% last month. But as a whole the retail sector saw its worst sales in years, with roughly two-thirds missing already low estimates. A number of companies are also announcing job cuts, most notably AT&T, which is sending 12,000 workers packing. The Bank of England, meanwhile, cut its benchmark to 2%, its lowest rate since its inception in 1694. (More markets stories.)