US stocks fell Wednesday, ahead of the release of notes from the latest meeting of Federal Reserve policymakers.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 140 points, or 0.4%, shortly after the opening bubble. The blue chips index closed on a record Tuesday.
The S&P 500 declined 0.6% and the Nasdaq Composite 1.1%.
Stocks have been muted in recent days after a rally with major indices hitting record highs.
New data from Wednesday showed US retail sales rose more than expected in January, driven in part by the latest round of stimulus controls and declining Covid-19 infection rates. That marked a turnaround from three consecutive months of declining sales during the 2020 Christmas shopping season.