Dow Has Tough Week

Stocks fell sharply Friday, pushing the Dow Jones industrials into a possible correction, as investors sold technology shares to collect the profits from their recent rally. As the selloff proceeded, Wall Street ignored the government’s report of a welcome slowdown in retail sales.

The blue-chip Dow fell 218.42 to 10,425.21 to finish the session 11 percent below its Jan. 14 record high of 11,722.98. Some analysts consider a drop of at least 10 percent a correction, which signifies a reversal of a market trend but doesn’t necessarily mark a long-term change.

For the week, the Dow slid 538.59. It was the Dow’s worst weekly point drop since the week ended Oct. 15, 1999, when it lost 630.05.