U.S. Stocks Decline as Small-Cap Shares Resume Selloff

U.S. stocks fell, following a second straight weekly decline for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, as small-cap shares resumed a selloff to overshadow corporate deals.

The S&P 500 fell 0.3 percent to 1,962.43 at 11:46 a.m. in New York, erasing a 0.5 percent gain after failing to top its average price for the past 50 days. The Russell 2000 Index of small companies dropped 0.9 percent. Trading in S&P 500 stocks was in line with the 30-day average at this time of day.

The S&P 500 (SPX) climbed 1.1 percent on Oct. 3, paring a weekly decline, after data showed the U.S. jobless rate declined to a six-year low and employers hired more workers than economists had estimated. The dollar strengthened last week to a four-year high before weakening today.