US stocks slide

Wall Street retreated today as mixed earnings news and rising oil prices prompted investors to take profits from a sharp rally in the previous trading session. A disappointing forecast from Intel also dragged down the Nasdaq composite index.

Better-than-expected results from Apple Computer and Motorola countered a hefty loss at Ford. But investors worried about a slowdown in tech spending were rattled by a steep earnings drop at Intel, which gave no indications that conditions would improve in the second half of the year.