The Dow and S&P 500 eased downward by small fractions of a percentage point, responding to government releases of economic data that showed unexpected weakness in certain areas of the U.S. economy. A drop in the Producer Price Index pointed toward a lack of inflationary pressure domestically, and flat retail sales dispelled any concerns that the economy might be on pace to overheat in the near future. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.