Builders, banks and retailers sent the U.S. stock market tumbling for the first time in six days on increasing evidence the housing slump is depressing earnings.

Home construction shares fell to the lowest in almost four years after D.R. Horton Inc. said a decrease in orders will lead to a third-quarter loss. Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and Bear Stearns Cos. dropped after Standard & Poor’s said mortgage defaults may grow. Sears Holdings Corp., the biggest U.S. department-store company, slid the most since 2003 on its forecast profits will shrink.

Both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq Composite Index posted their worst decline in a month after concerns mounted the housing recession will hamper earnings as companies start to report second-quarter results this week. Oil’s rise above $73 a barrel also dimmed the outlook for profits. (Bloomberg)