U.S. shares decline on weaker house data, Dow sets new high

Wall Street closed firm on Monday with the benchmark index Dow Jones average setting a fresh high and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index slid modestly after a report showed that home sales declined last month. The Dow Jones industrial average added 0.16% to 16,504, the S&P 500 Index slipped 0.02% to 1,841.07 and the Nasdaq Composite Index fell 0.06% to 4,154.20.