Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (-0.3%), Nasdaq Composite (-0.3%), and DJIA (-0.3%) are hovering above session lows, as the health care sector (+0.5%) is the only S&P 500 sector trading decidedly above its flatline. 

The healthcare sector sees gains across a majority of its constituents, with Merck (MRK 87.06, +2.40, +2.83%), UnitedHealth (UNH 305.35, +5.51, +1.84%), and Eli Lilly (LLY 717.65, +12.21, +1.73%) displaying strong leadership. 

The consumer staples (-1.1%) and consumer discretionary (-0.7%) sectors hold the widest losses at this juncture amid a tough day for retailers. 

Walmart's (WMT 98.29, -4.28, -4.17%) earnings miss has rippled throughout the sector, contributing to losses in Target (TGT 96.71, -1.98, -2.01%), TJX (TJX 137.38, -0.88, -0.64%), and Ross Stores (ROST 145.70, -0.65, -0.44%).

The SPDR S&P Retail ETF, which was flat coming into today's session, holds a 1.2% loss.