setback
noun [ C ]
uk/ˈsetbæk/ ussomething that happens that causes a delay or prevents a process from continuing:
He suffered a setback yesterday in his attempts to take a stake in the mobile phone company.
a setback to/for sth The new rule was a setback to smaller cable operators thinking of selling to other companies.
a major/serious setback
The decision is the latest in a series of setbacks for the industry.
STOCK MARKET, FINANCE
a fall in prices on a stock or financial market:
The mail order group suffered a 17p setback to 366.5p.
Small companies are less likely to be diversified so setbacks in a single sector are more likely to wipe them out.