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		</div><p>US stocks have plunged as losses for Cisco Systems hurt technology companies while Wal-Mart declined after its latest quarterly report. Banks also dropped as bond yields and interest rates sank for a second day. It was the second-worst day for stocks this year, which has seen few large declines.</p>
<p>Along with technology companies and retailers, transportation companies slipped and all of the industrial, financial and basic materials companies in the S&#038;P 500 fell. Those sectors tend to struggle when investors are concerned about economic growth, although there were not any specific signs of economic trouble on Thursday.</p>
<p>The Standard &#038; Poor&#8217;s 500 index dropped 38.10 points, or 1.5%, to 2,430.01, its lowest close since July 11.<br />
The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 274.14 points, or 1.2%, to 21,750.73. The Nasdaq composite sank 123.19 points, or 1.9%, to 6,221.91. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks fell 24.59 points, or 1.8%, to 1,358.94. High-dividend stocks like utilities and real estate companies fared slightly better than the rest of the market, although they still finished lower. About 95% of the companies in the S&#038;P 500 finished with losses.</p>
<p>Bill Northey, chief investment officer at US Bank Wealth Management, said that minutes released on Wednesday from the Federal Reserve&#8217;s policy meeting last month marked &#8220;a little bit of a change in tone&#8221;, and suggested that the central bank is becoming more cautious about raising interest rates. That helped push long-term interest rates in the bond market lower since then.</p>
<p>Lower bond yields tend to hurt banks, because it prevents them from charging higher rates on loans, and benefits high-dividend stocks. Investors were also assessing the state of President Donald Trump&#8217;s business-friendly agenda as he continues to face criticism over his comments after the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend.</p>
<p>After he was elected, investors hoped his proposals for tax cuts and infrastructure spending would boost corporate profits. &#8220;Most of the agenda &#8230; has been a little bit distracted by non-economic factors,&#8221; said Mr Northey. Investors also looked for safer investments after a deadly van attack in Barcelona that killed at least 12 people and injured 80.</p>
<p>Despite some shaky reports on Thursday, it has been another strong quarter of corporate earnings.<br />
Per-share profits for S&#038;P 500 companies have grown almost 11% in the second quarter versus the same period a year ago. Profits for energy companies have quadrupled because the price of oil has stabilised, and technology companies have also posted big gains.</p>
<p>Consumer-focused companies have made smaller gains. Analysts, including US Bank&#8217;s Mr Northey, mostly expect the stock market to keep rising as long as company profits keep growing.</p>
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