Bleak earnings outlooks from companies like software firm Agile Software Corp and fresh data showing a plunge in computer-chip orders set the stage for selling. People realise they made some money and maybe should cash that in. The latest leg of the advance came after the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates last week for the fifth time this year by half a percentage point to lift the economy.
Traders are likely to lighten up ahead of the weekend and take profits.
Despite Wednesday's losses, investors are returning to the market. Investors also were spooked by a decline in the value of the euro, the single European currency, to its weakest level so far this year after unexpectedly weak growth data from Germany and France. US multinationals, which several months ago were applauding a rebound in the value of the European common currency, are now declining to comment on currency factors as the euro once again sinks. Drug shares slipped after Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont abruptly postponed until Thursday a widely anticipated announcement that he was bolting the Republican party. The move would hand Democrats control of the US Senate and threaten President George W. Bush's conservative agenda.