Stocks head lower on signs of weakness in China and a weak start to holiday shopping season

U.S. stock indexes are edging lower in midday trading following more signs of weakness in China and disappointing retail sales over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 38 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,789 as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern time Monday.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 13 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,054. The Nasdaq composite fell 56 points, or 1.2 percent, to 4,734.

Retails stocks declined after a weak showing for holiday shopping sales. Macy's fell 3 percent and Best Buy dropped 5 percent.

The price of crude oil rose $2.07 to $68.25 a barrel in New York, recovering some of the ground it lost Friday.

Prices for U.S. government bonds slipped. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.19 percent.