US stock-indexes decline for the worst start since 2009

U.S. stocks retreated the most since November 7, recording the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index’s worst start to a year since 2009 as investors weighed equity valuations and the outlook for economic stimulus.

The S&P 500 Index slumped 1.3% by 4:30 p.m. in New York after reaching highest valuation in four years at the end of 2013. Nasdaq index gave up 61.36 points, or 1.5%, to 4113.30. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 179.11 points, or 1.1%, to 16257.94, its fourth straight decline and its lowest finish since December 20.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index gained as banks rallied. Nickel jumped 2.5% and U.S. natural gas climbed 5.5%. Crude oil slid after Iran agreed to start curtailing its nuclear program. Germanys DAX index gained 0.4%, Frances CAC-40 edged up 0.3% and the U.K.s FTSE 100 rose 0.3%.

In Asia, Chinas Shanghai Composite eased 0.2% to close at a 5½-month low. Japans stock market was closed for a holiday.

“I think weve had too many blows and sentiment is extremely optimistic and that’s a negative for stocks,” Bruce Bittles, chief investment strategist at RW Baird & Co., said by phone for Bloomberg. His firm oversees $105 billion. “That means for the short term they’re fully invested. Stocks have entered the new year overbought and over-believed and until we digest that, we’re likely to stay in this range.”

In corporate news, earnings for companies in the index probably climbed 4.9% on average in the fourth quarter, while sales increased 1.8%, according to analyst estimates.

Alcoa Inc. unofficially started the latest results period on January 9, reporting profit that fell short of analysts’ estimates.

In corporate news, S&P 500 component Beam surged $16.45, or 25%, to $83.42 after the maker of Jim Beam whiskey agreed to be acquired by Japans Suntory Holdings for $13.6 billion.

Intercept Pharmaceuticals dropped 81.47, or 18.3%, to 364.36, losing some of its recent gains after surging last week. A National Institutes of Health report last week about its liver-disease drug said patients in a clinical trial experienced increased total cholesterol levels than those taking a placebo.

Lululemon Athletica tumbled 9.90, or 17%, to 49.70, after the yoga-wear retailer lowered its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue outlook, citing a decline in traffic and sales since the beginning of January.

Deutsche Bank AG, Germany’s biggest bank, rallied 4.7% to the highest since March 2012 and Societe Generale SA, France’s second-largest lender, climbed 2.2%. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision modified its proposed leverage ratio (the amount of capital held to loans made) at a meeting in Basel, Switzerland yesterday.

Alcatel-Lucent SA added 5.1% after three people familiar with the matter said the telecommunications-equipment supplier has held talks to sell its enterprise business to companies including Unify GmbH & Co. KG, a venture between Gores Group LLC and Siemens AG.