US Stocks Edge Lower; Retail Sales Increase Less Than Expected

1. U.S. retail sales rose 0.4% in December, below estimates. 2. Initial jobless claims increased by 14,000 to 217,000 last week. 3. Dow Jones fell 0.2%, S&P 500 down 0.03%, indicating market weakness. 4. Utilities sector rose 0.8%, while consumer discretionary shares declined 0.6%. 5. Biomerica's shares jumped 246% after product approval in UAE.