Dow closes lower after disappointing bank results

The Dow closed lower with a big drag from financial stocks as investors were disappointed by fourth quarter results from big U.S. banks, which cast a shadow over the earnings season kick-off.

The Nasdaq and the S&P regained lost ground in afternoon trading to close higher, CNBC reported. Meanwhile the consumer discretionary stocks put pressure on the indexes throughout the session after morning data showed a December decline in retail sales and a souring of consumer sentiment.

JPMorgan Chase & Co tumbled after reporting weaker performance at its trading arm.

Citigroup Inc shares fell after it reported a 26% drop in fourth-quarter profit.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 201.81 points, or 0.56%, to 35,911.81, the S&P 500 gained 3.82 points, or 0.08%, to 4,662.85 and the Nasdaq Composite added 86.94 points, or 0.59%, to 14,893.75.

For the week, the S&P 500 fell 0.3% while the Dow fell 0.9% and the Nasdaq fell 0.3%.

U.S. stock markets will remain shut on Monday for the public holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.