Shares of retailers and other consumer companies fell as a spike in Covid-19 infections appeared to weigh on consumer sentiment and activity.

Consumers stepped up their spending by a brisk 0.5% in October, down from a gain of 1.2% the month before, the Commerce Department said.

The University of Michigan's final reading of the index of consumer sentiment was 76.9 in November, almost unchanged from the flash estimate of 77.0 two weeks ago and down from October's 81.8 level, as a second wave of Covid-19 infections spread throughout the U.S.

Meanwhile, new-home sales fell by 0.3% in October, a slightly less pronounced drop than anticipated.

Delta Air Lines pilots agreed to accept reduced pay in exchange for job security until 2022, in a move that would prevent the more than 1,700 pilot furloughs the carrier had originally planned.

The number of people hospitalized in the U.S. because of Covid-19 hit a record for the 15th straight day, with more than 88,000 people hospitalized as of Tuesday, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

11-25-20 1656ET