- China, Ukraine concerns outweigh strong US data
- S&P 500 turns negative year-to-date
- Dollar General disappoints with guidance

Dow Jones: -1.42%
Nasdaq: -1.46%
S&P 500: -1.17%

US stocks plunged on Thursday, registering their worst losses in five weeks, as ongoing concerns about China and Ukraine outweighed upbeat data from closer to home.

The S&P 500, which had been treading water since hitting a record high last Friday of 1,878.04, dropped 1.2% to 1,846.34 on Thursday, turning negative for the year to date.

The index, along with the Dow Jones Industrial Average which fell 1.4%, had their biggest declines since February 3rd. The Nasdaq, meanwhile, finished down 1.5%.

Markets had started the session in positive territory after Commerce Department figures showed that retail sales climbed 0.3% on the month in February after a revised 0.6% fall in January. This ended two straight months of declines and came in better than the consensus forecast for an increase of 0.2%.

The Labor Department said the number of Americans filing for new claims for jobless benefits last week unexpectedly dropped 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 315,000. The consensus estimate had been for 330,000 claims.

Another report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed US import prices increased by 0.9% on the month in February (1.1% year-on-year). The consensus estimate had been for a gain of 0.6% month-on-month.

However, sentiment was quickly dampened by lingering fears of a slowdown in China. Amid tightening Chinese credit conditions that spooked global markets earlier in the week, data out on Thursday showed that growth in industrial production, retail sales and fixed asset investments all eased last month.

Meanwhile, tensions between Russia and the West stepped up a gear after US Secretary of State John Kerry told a Senate panel that the US and Europe will take "very serious" actions following the Crimea referendum this weekend if he does not see a sign of a resolution to the crisis.

"The worries surrounding Ukraine are gradually heightening, with the Crimean referendum now only three days away. Despite continued attempts from the West to avert the vote, it has become increasingly clear that Russia is unwilling to back down over the region, which will likely be part of the Russian Federation," said Market Analyst Craig Erlam from Alpari.

Dollar General misses on Q4 results, guidance

Discount retail chain Dollar General dropped after saying that earnings per share in the first quarter would not exceed 74 cents, under the consensus forecast of 81 cents. This came after the company reported a worse-than-expected 1.5% increase in profits in the fourth quarter.

The company's Chief Executive Rick Dreiling blamed the "severe winter weather, including many days with significant store closures, an aggressive competitive retail landscape and our customers` uncertainty about spending in the current economic environment".

Sector peer Family Dollar Stores also fell on the news.

Williams-Sonoma jumped strongly as the seller of cookware and home furnishings predicted sales this year will increase more than expected by analysts.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts gained after boosting its 2015 fiscal year profit-per-share forecast from 71-76 cents to 73-79 cents.

Activision Blizzard jumped after Bank of America Corp. raised its rating on the US video-game publisher to 'buy' from 'neutral'.


S&P 500 - Risers
Frontier Communications Co. (FTR) $4.94 +2.70%
Entergy Corp. (ETR) $64.42 +2.25%
Centerpoint Energy Inc. (CNP) $23.94 +2.22%
Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM) $25.48 +1.88%
NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE) $93.78 +1.72%
Ameren Corp. (AEE) $40.84 +1.62%
TECO Energy Inc. (TE) $16.78 +1.57%
Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) $30.39 +1.57%
Northeast Utilities (NU) $44.61 +1.52%
CMS Energy Corp. (CMS) $28.59 +1.49%

S&P 500 - Fallers
PVH Corp. (PVH) $115.04 -5.74%
Moody's Corp. (MCO) $79.46 -4.93%
Noble plc (NE) $28.98 -4.55%
Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (DO) $44.39 -4.29%
Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $70.15 -4.27%
Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $59.06 -4.00%
Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NWL) $29.58 -3.90%
F5 Networks Inc. (FFIV) $107.50 -3.74%
GameStop Corp. (GME) $37.12 -3.58%
Autodesk Inc. (ADSK) $50.47 -3.57%

Dow Jones I.A - Risers

Dow Jones I.A - Fallers
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $31.12 -2.69%
United Technologies Corp. (UTX) $112.89 -2.52%
American Express Co. (AXP) $90.69 -2.38%
Visa Inc. (V) $220.78 -2.35%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $78.80 -2.18%
Boeing Co. (BA) $121.89 -2.04%
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $55.79 -1.80%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $79.93 -1.78%
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $166.70 -1.78%
General Electric Co. (GE) $25.34 -1.63%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) $20.85 +1.21%
Sigma-Aldrich Corp. (SIAL) $94.69 +0.31%
Amazon.Com Inc. (AMZN) $371.51 +0.23%
Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $84.21 +0.06%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $159.20 -5.62%
Baidu Inc. (BIDU) $166.10 -4.64%
Equinix Inc. (EQIX) $181.71 -4.48%
Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $70.15 -4.27%
F5 Networks Inc. (FFIV) $107.50 -3.74%
Autodesk Inc. (ADSK) $50.47 -3.57%
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $328.07 -3.44%
TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $103.21 -3.26%
Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) $18.88 -3.23%
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) $17.74 -3.17%

BC

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