Wall Street closed lower as hefty drops in retailers and technology companies offset gains elsewhere in the market.

The S&P 500 lost 0.8% Wednesday. The Nasdaq fell 1.5%, and small-company stocks fell even more. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed slightly lower.

Target fell sharply after delivering a dismal financial report. Target also cut its forecasts for the holiday season and said its sales slowed sharply in recent weeks.

The government reported that retail sales rose overall last month, but it's unclear how much of that strength is due to increased purchases versus higher prices.

Crude oil prices ended lower.