US close: Stocks fall on decline in oil prices, poor China data

US stocks closed in the red on Tuesday as oil prices declined and poor Chinese data added to worries about the nation's slowdown.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.64%, the S&P 500 shed 1.12% and the Nasdaq slid 1.26%.

Oil prices reversed earlier gains, with West Texas Intermediate crude falling 4.4% to $36.29 per barrel and Brent declining 3.4% to $39.46 per barrel at 2116 GMT.

Goldman Sachs said the recent surge in commodity prices was not sustainable and the rout was not over.

“In the current supply-driven market, demand hasn’t really changed, it takes lower prices to push and keep supply below demand to create a deficit. As a result, higher prices are much harder to sustain in a supply-driven market since supply is primed to return with higher prices,” the bank said.

In economic data, Chinese exports plunged 25.4% in February from a year earlier, marking the biggest slump in more than five years and compared to analysts’ expectations for a 14.5% drop.

Imports decreased 13.8% year-on-year, more than forecasts for a 12% slide.

China’s trade surplus narrowed in February to $32.59 bn from $63.29 bn in January, below estimates for a $51.25bn surplus.

On the corporate front, shares in SunEdison Inc. gained after Vivint Solar said it has terminated its merger agreement with the company because it failed to meet obligations of the deal due to financial problems.

Urban Outfitters Inc. rallied after reporting fourth quarter earnings that beat expectations.

JetBlue Airways Corp. edged lower as the airliner said it expects a first quarter unit revenue decrease.

Apple slumped after the Supreme Court declined the iPhone maker's request for a review of an e-books antitrust case, leaving it to face a $400 million payment to e-book consumers.

In currencies, the dollar was 0.36% higher versus the pound, 0.72% lower against the yen and 0.04% up against the euro.

S&P 500 - Risers
Urban Outfitters Inc. (URBN) $32.68 +16.05%
Assurant Inc. (AIZ) $75.22 +2.41%
Red Hat Inc. (RHT) $68.28 +2.02%
Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) $150.98 +1.90%
Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED) $72.88 +1.66%
Clorox Co. (CLX) $125.47 +1.63%
Realty Income Corp. (O) $58.64 +1.54%
Ameren Corp. (AEE) $47.85 +1.53%
Wisconsin Energy Corp. (WEC) $57.77 +1.51%
Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) $40.66 +1.50%

S&P 500 - Fallers
Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) $4.30 -17.78%
Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN) $7.33 -14.67%
Murphy Oil Corp. (MUR) $22.78 -14.65%
Ensco Plc. (ESV) $10.85 -12.85%
Freeport-McMoRan Inc (FCX) $8.66 -12.17%
Range Resources Corp. (RRC) $29.90 -11.41%
Devon Energy Corp. (DVN) $21.47 -11.24%
CONSOL Energy Inc. (CNX) $10.46 -10.29%
Transocean Ltd. (RIG) $11.41 -10.23%
National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NOV) $31.50 -9.82%

Dow Jones I.A - Risers
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $51.65 +1.21%
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $118.42 +1.08%
Nike Inc. (NKE) $59.81 +0.95%
American Express Co. (AXP) $59.43 +0.73%
Coca-Cola Co. (KO) $44.32 +0.70%
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $52.46 +0.48%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $126.72 +0.44%
Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $110.85 +0.40%
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) $68.04 +0.22%

Dow Jones I.A - Fallers
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $71.73 -4.07%
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $151.60 -2.41%
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) $82.63 -2.17%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $88.74 -2.13%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $58.78 -1.94%
Visa Inc. (V) $70.62 -1.83%
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DD) $63.53 -1.82%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $97.82 -1.58%
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $29.36 -1.44%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $30.56 -1.23%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) $150.98 +1.90%
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $80.39 +1.57%
Mattel Inc. (MAT) $33.08 +1.35%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $51.65 +1.21%
O'Reilly Automotive Inc. (ORLY) $264.81 +1.07%
Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $129.33 +1.05%
T-Mobile Us, Inc. (TMUS) $38.94 +0.78%
Netflix Inc. (NFLX) $96.23 +0.77%
Fastenal Co. (FAST) $46.57 +0.54%
Cerner Corp. (CERN) $52.79 +0.34%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $10.66 -7.90%
Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $46.44 -7.25%
Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $150.43 -6.92%
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALXN) $141.10 -5.68%
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. - Ordinary Shares (NCLH) $47.31 -4.77%
TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $62.57 -4.47%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX) $86.91 -4.44%
Endo International Plc (ENDP) $42.66 -4.31%
Liberty Global plc Series A (LBTYA) $35.79 -4.18%
Skyworks Solutions Inc. (SWKS) $69.91 -4.13%