Stocks fell Tuesday on Wall Street as Greece’s debt problems and China’s economy again have investors concerned about economic growth.
Upbeat earnings and outlooks from the industrial giants DuPont, 3M and Ford have helped to moderate the losses. Strong first-quarter earnings have sent stocks higher in recent weeks.
In early trading, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 11.18, or 0.1 percent, at 11,193.85. The Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index was down 0.4 percent and the Nasdaq composite index was off 0.3 percent.
The market opened to the news that the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, a widely watched indicator, dropped 0.9 percent in February from the previous month, without adjustment for seasonal variations. It was the fifth consecutive monthly decline.
In another report, The Conference Board, a private research group based in New York, said its Consumer Confidence index rose to 57.9 from a revised 52.3 in March. The April reading marks the highest level since September 2008 when the level was 61.4 and was well above analysts’ forecasts for a level of about 53.5.
Investors will also be looking for cues from the Federal Reserve, which begins a two-day rate-setting meeting. Congress’s debate about overhauling financial regulations is also adding some volatility to the market.
European shares fell as concerns resurfaced that Greece might not have access to a bailout package in time to make a new round of payments that are due on May 19. The dollar rose against the euro as investors worry that debt problems in Greece and some of the 15 other countries that use the currency will upend an economic rebound on the continent.
In London, the FTSE 100 was down 75.20 points, or 1.3 percent. The DAX in Frankfurt lost 45.57 points, or 0.7 percent, while the CAC-40 in Paris was 66.92 points, or 1.7 percent, lower.
Most Asian markets fell as Chinese regulators are again preparing to try to cool down the country’s robust economic growth. The government wants to slow the real estate market there to avoid speculative bubbles.