Investors are waiting for several economic reports later this week that could influence whether the Fed will pare back its $85 billion-a-month bond-buying program, which is designed to keep interest rates low and stimulate the economy.

On Friday, the government will release its monthly job market survey, one of the most closely watched indicators of the U.S. economy. Economists expect that employers created 180,000 jobs last month while the unemployment rate remained steady at 7.2 percent, according to FactSet, a financial information provider.

On Thursday investors will have other important economic news to consider, an updated report on U.S. economic growth. Economists expect the economy expanded at a 3.2 percent annual rate last quarter.

A key worry for investors these days is how willing U.S. consumers are to spend, especially with the holiday shopping season getting underway.

The National Retail Federation said Monday that a record number of consumers went shopping over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend. However, the average amount spent by each shopper fell compared with the same period last year, the first decline since the trade group began tracking the figures in 2006.

In company news:

Yum Brands fell $2.04, or 3 percent, to $75.65. The owner of KFC and Taco Bell said sales in China, a key market for the company, have been sluggish lately on concerns about food safety.

Abercrombie & Fitch rose $1.22, or 4 percent, to $35.25. The stock of the teen clothing store owner rose after an activist shareholder, Engaged Capital, sent a letter to the company calling for the replacement of Chief Executive Officer Michael Jeffries, citing underperformance.