The S&P 500 edged lower, finishing its least volatile week in years, as declines in Wal-Mart Stores and energy shares offset firm economic readings.
The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index fell 1.59 points, or 0.1%, to 1519.79, but capped its seventh straight weekly advance, just barely, up 1.86 points. Its high for the week was just 11.08 points above its low, the slimmest weekly trading range since January 2007.
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Close"There wasn't much news to sink your teeth into this week," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank, which oversees $66 billion. "In many respects, investors are waiting for other investors to make the first move."
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 8.37 points, or 0.1%, to 13981.76. The slim gain on Friday wasn't enough to avoid a second straight weekly decline for the blue-chip benchmark, down 0.1%. The Nasdaq Composite Index declined 6.63 points, or 0.2%, to 3192.03, and fell 0.1% on the week.
"We're at what I think is fair value for the market for year-end, based on modest revenue growth and an edging higher of earnings," Mr. Ablin said.
Wal-Mart fell $1.52, or 2.1%, to $69.30, the biggest drop among Dow components. The shares tumbled as much as 3.8% after Bloomberg News reported a vice president at the retailer said this month's sales have been a "total disaster," citing an internal email to executives.
Energy shares in the S&P 500 led declines across four of the index's 10 sectors as crude-oil prices fell on concerns over a stalling European economy. Light, sweet crude oil for March delivery dropped $1.45, or 1.5%, to $95.86 a barrel, on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
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