US Stock Indexes End Flat as Earnings Results Cancel Out

Initial summer profit reports from U.S. companies exceeded analyst expectations, yet conflicting outcomes left major stock indexes relatively static and near their records on Tuesday. The S&P 500 finished barely changed, sitting just below its all-time high set last week, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.3% and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.2%.

These modest headline moves obscured significant volatility beneath the market surface. Goldman Sachs and other firms fluctuated between gains and losses following their earnings releases. Additionally, Treasury yields eased after oil prices fell.

On Tuesday, the S&P 500 slipped 1.79 points, or less than 0.1%, to close at 7,805.45. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 180.45 points, a 0.3% decline, ending at 51,670.10. The Nasdaq composite dropped 41.52 points, or 0.2%, to finish at 27,204.38. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 11.11 points, a 0.4% decrease, to close at 2,783.37.

For the week, the S&P 500 is down 6.09 points, or 0.1%. The Dow is up 15.15 points, a gain of less than 0.1%. The Nasdaq is down 161.79 points, or 0.6%, and the Russell 2000 is down 23.61 points, or 0.8%. Year-to-date, the S&P 500 stands up 959.95 points, or 14%. The Dow is up 3,606.81 points, or 7.5%, while the Nasdaq is up 3,962.39 points, or 17%. The Russell 2000 is up 301.46 points, a 12.1% gain.