NEW YORK, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Wall Street's major averages opened lower on Friday after data showed U.S. retail sales in July increased less than expected.

Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased 100.45 points, or 0.36 percent, to 27,796.27. The S&P 500 slipped 8.08 points, or 0.24 percent, to 3,365.35. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 4.42 points, or 0.04 percent, to 11,038.08.

Ten of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors dipped in morning trading, with both financials and utilities down more than 0.4 percent, leading the laggards. Real estate rose 0.1 percent, the best-performing group.

U.S. retail sales rose 1.2 percent last month after advancing 8.4 percent in June, the Commerce Department reported on Friday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast a 2-percent increase.

The rebound in U.S. retail sales slowed in July by more than expected, indicating spiraling new COVID-19 infections that threatened the economic recovery, experts noted.

Wall Street grappled with the uncertain fate of the further coronavirus stimulus in the United States as the nation's lawmakers continued to wrangle over the package.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases hit over 5.25 million in the United States and deaths topped 167,000 as of Friday morning local time, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Enditem

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