U.S. stocks declined following disappointing retail sales figures, which cooled optimism fueled by the artificial-intelligence boom. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 107.58 points (0.20%) to 53732.41, remaining close to its all-time high. The S&P 500 decreased 13.23 points (0.17%) to 7785.76, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 73.86 points (0.28%) to 26729.16, ending a three-day rally.

Last month, retailers' sales fell by 0.6% to $763.6 billion, defying economists' predictions of a modest rise. This data serves as a reminder that U.S. economic growth remains significantly tied to consumer spending. Concurrently, a rise in oil futures indicated that inflation could persist despite potential economic slowdowns.