US STOCKS closed lower

Equity indices retreated Tuesday: the Dow down 16.79 at 16190.35, the tech Nasdaq off 5.01 at 4287.96 and the S&P fell 1.05 at 1846.56.

Following today's closing bell, participants will receive more than 50 quarterly reports with another 40 on tap ahead of Wednesday's open.

This evening, investors will focus on the likes of First Solar (FSLR 58.14, +0.38), Papa John's (PZZA 48.50, +0.52), and Sturm Ruger (RGR 68.40, +0.81) while tomorrow's list will be headlined by Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD 102.42, -0.73), Target (TGT 56.43, +0.29), and Lowe's (LOW 48.09, +0.87).

Today's economic data included two releases:

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index slipped to 78.1 in February from a downwardly revised 79.4 (from 80.7) while the consensus pegged the index at 80.8. 

The December Housing Price Index from the FHFA increased 0.8%, which followed an uptick of 0.1% observed in November.

In an effort to cut costs, the country's largest bank by assets J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. said Tuesday that it plans to slash 8,000 jobs in its consumer and community banking division this year. More than 2,000 more jobs are expected to go, on top of the 13,000 to 15,000 positions already set to be slashed, the FT reported.

Home Depot (HD 80.17, +2.30) trades up 3.0% after reporting a bottom-line beat on below-consensus revenue while.

Toll Brothers (TOL 38.16, -0.18) holds a loss of 0.5% despite reporting better-than-expected earnings.

Source of information>>

More information>>