U.S. Stocks Decline as Data Bolster Concern on Stimulus

U.S. stocks fell, paring the seventh monthly gain for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, as better-than-forecast data on business activity and consumer confidence bolstered concern the Federal Reserve will scale back stimulus.

All 10 groups in the S&P 500 retreated, as health-care, energy and consumer staple stocks led declines. Pall Corp. retreated 5.1 percent after lowering an earnings forecast. American International Group Inc. slid 3.8 percent after saying it hasn’t received a deposit in the sale of its plane-leasing unit. Monsanto Co. fell 4.1 percent after an unapproved, genetically modified strain of wheat was discovered growing.