Consumer stocks were lower Thursday afternoon, with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) decreasing 0.7% and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) falling 1.2%.
In corporate news, Darden Restaurants (DRI) issued a full-year earnings outlook below market estimates on Thursday, and the restaurant operator's fiscal Q4 sales fell short of expectations. Its shares fell 1%.