US STOCKS-Markets fall on global woes, offsetting retailers

                                

                                
 * Wal-Mart, Home Depot quarterly earnings top estimates
                                
 * China fears pressure commods, Ireland still in focus
                                
 * Producer prices unexpectedly fall in October
                                
 * Indexes down: Dow, S&P 0.7 pct, Nasdaq 0.6 pct
                                
 * For up-to-the-minute market news see [STXNEWS/US]
  (Updates to early morning)
                                
 By Ryan Vlastelica
                                
 NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday on
continued concerns about China and Ireland, which offset strong
quarterly results and upbeat forecasts from Dow components
Wal-Mart and Home Depot.
                                
 Shares in Europe fell 1.2 percent ahead of a meeting of
euro zone finance ministers, who will try to find a way to end
Ireland's debt crisis, but Dublin resisted pressure to seek a
bailout. For details, see [ID:nLDE6AF02E]
                                
 "There's a global concern that if Ireland needs aid, it
could become a domino effect with other countries," said Cort
Gwon, director of trading strategies and research at FBN
Securities in New York.
                                
 "Especially at such a sensitive time in the economy to have
a setback in Europe could mean a setback for the rest of the
world, too."
                                
 Chinese shares sank nearly 4 percent to a one-month low on
reports that China will unveil food price controls and crack
down on commodity speculation to contain inflationary pressure.
[ID:nL3E6MG081]
                                
 Crude oil futures lost 2.1 percent and gold fell on the way
to a third straight daily loss, while the U.S. dollar <.DXY>
rose 0.4 percent.
                                
 Wal-Mart Stores Inc <WMT.N> and Home Depot Inc <HD.N> both
raised their profit views, and Wal-Mart also forecast positive
same-store sales for the holiday season. Home Depot cut its
full-year sales outlook.
                                
 Wal-Mart rose 2.1 percent to $55.09, while Home Depot was
up 3.2 percent to $32.40. [ID:nN1691422] and [ID:nN1627318]
                                
 The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 82.42
points, or 0.74 percent, at 11,118.03. The Standard & Poor's
500 Index <.SPX> fell 8.53 points, or 0.71 percent, at
1,189.22. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was off 15.69
points, or 0.62 percent, at 2,497.97.
                                
 In the latest economic data, U.S. core producer prices
unexpectedly fell in October in their largest decline in more
than four years, underscoring the U.S. Federal Reserve's
concerns about the low inflation environment. [ID:nN16129299]
                                
 Abercrombie & Fitch Co's <ANF.N> quarterly profit topped
estimates, led by strong international demand. The stock rose 1
percent to $45.80. [ID:nSGE6AF0G1]
                                
 General Motors boosted its convertible preferred stock
offering by $1 billion and will increase the price range for
its much-anticipated initial public offering to between $32 and
$33 per share. The IPO is due to begin trading in New York and
Toronto on Thursday.[ID:nN1693544]
  (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)