The violent rotation out of tech shares and into cyclicals, sparked by promising vaccine news, reversed Wednesday as investors cast a wary eye on a batch of data that suggest a possible slowdown in economic growth. Treasuries edged higher.

The S&P 500 Index retreated from a record and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell back below 30,000. The tech-heavy Nasdaq indexes edged higher. U.S. markets are closed Thursday for a holiday, leading to a deluge of data that brought the first back-to-back rise in weekly U.S. jobless claims since July, an uptick in durable goods orders and a widening trade deficit.

Small caps slumped. The Russell 2000 is still up 20% in November, headed for the best month in its 41-year history. Gold halted its slide, Bitcoin pulled back from near a record and the 10-year Treasury yield fell.

The mediocre economic data dimmed positive vaccine news and the formal start of President-elect Joe Biden's transition to power -- including the selection of Janet Yellen as Treasury secretary -- that had fueled optimism about the outlook for risk assets. At the same time, restrictions to curb surging coronavirus cases threaten to slow the world's economic recovery. An MSCI gauge of global shares stalled on Wednesday after gaining 13% in November, still set for the best month since 1988.

"We remain on fragile footing heading into the winter as cases continue to climb globally," said Mike Loewengart, managing director of investment strategy at ETrade Financial. "And since the markets are forward looking, this data will likely be taken in stride. The markets tend to cheer on certainty so the presidential transition and vaccine developments are two factors it's latched onto lately."

In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 Index edged lower, as cyclicals such as mining and energy firms fell, offsetting advances in defensives including utility shares. ABN Amro Bank NV and Commerzbank AG dropped more than 3% and led euro-area lenders lower after the European Central Bank said the industry will probably have to set aside more money to soak up losses when government pandemic support ends.

In addition to the U.S. economic data on Wednesday, traders will also be keeping an eye on minutes of the most recent Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

"Now, there's big event risk up ahead: FOMC minutes," said Ilya Spivak, head Asia-Pacific strategist at DailyFX. "The worry is that the Fed will continue to signal that they're keeping to a hands-off posture. No tightening, but no new easing either."

Elsewhere, oil held at about $45 a barrel in New York, and copper briefly touched the highest since 2014. Bitcoin edged above $19,000, a level it hadn't exceeded since 2017.

Here are the main moves in markets.

Stocks:

- The S&P 500 Index slid 0.2% as of 12:45 p.m. New York time.

- The Stoxx Europe 600 Index declined 0.3%.

- The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was little changed.

- The MSCI Emerging Market Index fell 0.4%.

Currencies:

- The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed.

- The euro gained 0.1% to $1.1901.

- The British pound fell 0.2% to $1.3334.

- The onshore yuan strengthened 0.3% to 6.574 per dollar.

- The Japanese yen was little changed at 104.43 per dollar.

Bonds:

- The yield on 10-year Treasuries declined one basis point to 0.87%.

- The yield on two-year Treasuries decreased less than one basis point to 0.16%.

- Germany's 10-year yield fell one basis point to -0.58%.

- Britain's 10-year yield declined three basis points to 0.304%.

- Japan's 10-year yield dipped less than one basis point to 0.021%.

Commodities:

- West Texas Intermediate crude gained 0.8% to $45.25 a barrel.

- Brent crude gained 0.8% to $48.23 a barrel.

- Gold strengthened 0.3% to $1,812.70 an ounce.