The New York stock markets were down on Thursday on profit-taking and on reports that retail sales in the United States were generally down in July.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.8 percent to 10,610.10, the Nasdaq composite index was down 1.2 percent to 2,191.32, and the S&P 500 lost 0.7 percent to 1,235.86.

In the retail sector, Wal-Mart was down 0.8 percent to $49.29 even though same-store sales were up by 4.4 percent in July.

The Gap was down 1.2 percent to $20.69, Limited Brands fell 2.7 percent to $24.35, and Nordstrom, which has gained nearly 70 percent in the past year, declined by 8.2 percent to $33.45.

The Gap, Limited Brands, and Nordstrom all reported lower-than-expected sales in the second quarter. The retail sector as a whole was down 2.2 percent on these results for the worst performance in a sector on the day.

Elsewhere, HSBC Holdings agreed to buy credit card company Metris, sending shares in both companies down on the day. HSBC Holdings fell 0.8 percent to $81.90, while Metris lost 2.6 percent to $14.46.