The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 14.75 points (0.12 percent) to stand at 12,572,67 in closing trade.

The broader S&P 500 slipped 0.83 point (0.06 percent) to 1,325.90, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite tumbled 12.29 points (0.43 percent) to close at 2,814.23.

The retreat came a day after Wall Street enjoyed its strongest one-day rally this year, driven by robust earnings from companies like IBM and Coca-Cola.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011