NEW YORK — Pressure from the trade dispute between the U.S. and China continues to weigh on the retail sector.

Retailers have seen their shares seesaw this week as they express concern over tariffs squeezing their businesses. The latest is PVH Corp., owner of the Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands, which said late Wednesday that it was cutting its full-year adjusted earnings forecast partly because of the U.S.-China trade dispute.

“The volatile and challenging macroeconomic backdrop has continued into the second quarter, with particular softness across the U.S. and China retail landscape,” PVH Chairman and CEO Emanuel Chirico said in a statement.

Shares of PVH dropped more than 14 percent Thursday, putting the stock down 20 percent this week.

Retail sales have been on a seesaw pattern in 2019. The Commerce Department reported earlier this month that after a big jump of 1.7 percent in March, U.S. retail sales declined 0.2 percent in April as Americans cut back their spending on clothes, appliances, and home and garden supplies.

Executives from a wide array of stores from Walmart to Kohl’s said on conference calls with analysts the past few weeks that they remain optimistic about the financial health of the consumer, citing low unemployment and a strong economy. But shoppers could balk at paying higher prices on things they don’t need, especially those in the lower income bracket who are sensitive to any cost increases.

Last week Foot Locker and more than 170 shoe and retail companies, including Adidas and Nike, sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him not to double down on new tariffs as the trade dispute with China drags on.