(Reuters) – US indices fell on the heels of March’s retail sales data which seemed to suggest an economic slowdown, although positive results from some major banks helped to allay fears of renewed tensions in the sector.
JPMORGAN CHASE , CITIGROUP (NYSE:) and WELLS FARGO (NYSE:) beat analysts’ expectations for first-quarter earnings, signaling resilience during the March banking crisis. Stocks gain between 1.0% and 7.1%.
The banking index rose 3.3% to a one-month high, while the KBW Regional Banking index gained 0.8%.
Weighing on sentiment, however, came retail sales data, which fell more than expected in March, raising fears of an economic slowdown.
Also on the quarterly front, BLACKROCK (NYSE:) gained 3.8% after beating analysts’ estimates on quarterly earnings.
At 16.40 the Average lost 0.54% to 33,845.88 points, the S&P 500 dropped 0.27% to 4,134.77 and the declined by 0.46% to 12,110.62.
BOEING lost 6.7% after halting deliveries of some 737 Max due to a problem related to the supplier SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, which lost about 20%.
LUCID GROUP loses 8.2% after recording data on production and deliveries decreasing compared to the previous quarter.
(Translated by Luca Fratangelo, editing by Sabina Suzzi)