03:32 PM EDT, 03/18/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Consumer stocks were sliding late Tuesday afternoon, with the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) down 0.9% and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY) dropping 1.6%.

Redbook US same-store sales rose by 5.2% from a year earlier in the week ended March 15, slower than the 5.7% year-over-year increase in the previous week.

In sector news, Walmart ( WMT ) has developed a generative AI-backed tool to improve the productivity of its merchants. Walmart ( WMT ) shares were shedding 1.8%.