The major indexes closed mixed Wednesday, as steel stocks led while brick-and-mortar retailers showed fresh signs of struggles against the e-commerce wave led byAmazon.com (AMZN).

The Nasdaq rose 0.3% and the S&P 500 0.2%, staying in a narrow daily price range. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.1%.

Volume was tracking lower across the board. Losers led winners by a 10-9 ratio on the NYSE and Nasdaq.

Metals and mining stocks led the market thanks to new expectations of protective tariffs for the industry.

Donald Trump's Commerce Secretary nominee Wilbur Ross indicated the new administration will levy more tariffs and anti-dumping duties on imported Chinese steel. In confirmation hearings Wednesday, Ross said Chinese steel makers are selling their products overseas "often at dumping prices."

Steel Dynamics (STLD) surged after pulling back to the 50-day moving average. The stock also is forming a new base.

Steel producers, metals distributors and steel alloys were the three best-performing industry groups in today's market.

HD Supply Holdings (HDS) rose 1.8% in above-average volume. The building products company is rising from a touch of its 10-week moving average.

In finance, Charles Schwab (SCHW) also found support at the 50-day moving average for at least the third time since an August breakout. Although it was a positive move, it is occurring far into the stock's advance. The brokerage met fourth-quarter profit and revenue estimatestoday, as assets swelled on improving confidence.

But retail and energy stocks were among the weakest.

Target (TGT) plunged nearly 6% in heavy volume, falling back to its 2016 lows. The company reported weaker-than-expected same-store sales during the holidays. It was the latest big retailer to report disappointing holiday figures, as stores try to cope with a growing shift to online purchases and Amazon.com.

Target's November-December same-store sales fell 1.3% vs. a year earlier.

Oil prices fell 2.7% after the chief of the International Energy Agency predicted a rebound in U.S. output.

Drilling, exploration and integrated oil companies were in the lowest rungs of the 197 industry groups today.