Stocks edge lower ahead of company earnings, inflation data

By DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA
AP Business Writers

Stocks ended an up-and-down day mostly lower on Wall Street as traders wait for more data on inflation and corporate earnings this week. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% Tuesday and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%. The Nasdaq slipped 0.1%, but small-company stocks ended higher. A mix of retailers and other companies that rely on direct consumer spending gained ground, but those gains were offset by falling technology and communications stocks. U.S. crude oil prices held steady at just above $80 a barrel. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.57%.