US markets ended in the red after a weak holiday outlook from Wal-Mart

US markets ended in the red after a weak holiday outlook from Wal-Mart and drop in energy prices offset fewer jobless claims

The US markets ended in the red after a weak holiday outlook from Wal-Mart and drop in energy prices offset fewer jobless claims. Volume was light and the breadth too was very weak.

The Dow fell 93.79 points, or 0.9%, to 10,197.47, , snapping a six-day winning streak.. The S&P 500 index was down 11.27 points, or 1%, to 1,087.24. The Nasdaq fell 17.88 points, or 0.8%, to 2,149.02.

In economic data from the US, jobless claims fell for the second straight week. The latest initial jobless claims tally came in at a lower-than-expected 502,000, which is the lowest weekly total since January. Meanwhile, continuing claims came in at 5.63 million, which is the lowest level since March. Mortgage rates declined last week, with the 30-year fixed down to 4.91% and home foreclosures slowed for a third consecutive month.

Crude prices fell 3% to below USD 77 to a four-week low after a government report showed a larger-than-forecast gain in stockpiles.

The dollar advanced the most against the euro since August as a retreat in US stocks discouraged demand for higher-yielding assets. The dollar climbed as much as 1.1%. The dollar index is currently trading below the 75 mark.

Copper fell as the dollar gained for the second straight day and metal inventories climbed to a six- month high. In other metals nickel, aluminum, lead, zinc and tin prices also fell.

Gold prices declined from a record as the dollar rebounded from a 15-month low, curbing demand for the metal as an alternative asset. Gold is down nearly 1% at 1105 dollars.

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