Stocks fall on subprime concerns

business week
NEW YORK

Stocks retreated Tuesday as investors grew more concerned that troubles for subprime lenders and weaker-than-expected retail sales signaled trouble for the economy.

Investors fled the already weakened stocks of subprime mortgage lenders as the sector's troubles spread. The New York Stock Exchange said shortly before the opening bell it would immediately suspend trading in shares of New Century Financial Corp. and move to delist the stock. The lender, which saw trading in its shares halted throughout Monday's session, on Tuesday disclosed more details on the raft of financial hurdles it faces.

Word from Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co. that it is grappling with a liquidity shortfall confirmed concerns that the sector's troubles are widespread. Without sufficient cash, the company cannot retain or sell the loans it originates.

In addition to subprime mortgage lenders, who make loans to people with poor credit, the market was worried about retailers, which the Commerce Department said eked out a meager 0.1 percent rise in sales last month.

"I think a big question mark on this is how much of this is weather-related," said Rob Lutts, chief investment officer at Cabot Money Management. "We had two or three days during the month which knocked out activity in a very significant matter ... I think it is causing a little bit of alarm short-term."

That alarm overshadowed a profit report from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. that came in well above Wall Street's forecast.

In late morning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 40.45, or 0.33 percent, to 12,278.17.

Broader stock indicators also fell. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 3.93, or 0.28 percent, to 1,402.67, and the Nasdaq composite index slid 9.33, or 0.39 percent, to 2,392.96.

The worries surrounding subprime lenders and sluggish retail sales drove up bond prices. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell to 4.51 percent from 4.56 percent late Monday. The dollar was mixed against other major currencies, while gold prices rose.

Light, sweet crude rose 92 cents to $59.83 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Tuesday's economic data didn't offer much support for bullish investors. The Commerce Department said sales at U.S. retailers rose 0.1 percent in February as wintry weather in much of the country kept shoppers away from stores. Investors had expected an increase of 0.3 percent from January.

Business inventories of unsold goods increased 0.2 percent in January as sales fell following the holidays. The increase was in line with expectations.

In corporate news, New Century said Tuesday that regulators subpoenaed documents under inquiries into accounting errors that inflated the value of the company's loan portfolio. The Irvine, Calif., company said the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California began the investigations two weeks ago.

Accredited Home shares plunged $6.02, or 52.8 percent, to $5.38 after it disclosed its liquidity troubles.

Investors may pay attention to a report due later Tuesday from the Mortgage Bankers Association on mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures for the final quarter of 2006.

Investors trying to determine the breadth of the problems in the subprime sector pounced on comments from Goldman Sachs. The investment bank said strength remained in mortgages and credit products during the quarter and that while the subprime sector showed "significant weakness," the broader credit environment "remained strong." Goldman Sachs rose $4.39, or 2.2 percent, to $206.99 after posting a best-ever first-quarter profit amid strong revenue from trading and investment banking.

In other corporate news, Jo-Ann Stores Inc. jumped $3.67, or 16 percent, to $26.55 after the nation's largest fabric retailer issued a stronger-than-expected profit forecast. The stock skated past a previous 52-week high of $26.14.

Other retailers, however, fell moderately following the Commerce Department's retail sales data. Federated Department Stores Inc., parent of Macy's and Bloomingdale's, fell 19 cents to $44.75; Wal-Mart Stores Inc. slid 48 cents to $46.78; and Target Corp. fell $1.01 to $46.78.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers by nearly 2 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 445.16 million shares.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 4.30, or 0.54 percent, to 784.70.

Overseas, Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.66 percent. In afternoon trading, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.53 percent, Germany's DAX index fell 0.50 percent, and France's CAC-40 fell 0.59 percent.