: US stocks are lower in midday trading following a slide by energy companies after news on oil prices weigh down markets. At 12:30 ET, the Dow was down more than 30 points, the S&P 500 lost about 5 points and the NASDAQ, coming off a record-high close on Tuesday was down more than 20 points. Several major retailers are expected to announce earnings this week, which should shed some light on consumer demand.