Stocks finish lower, Dow clings to gains after latest batch of earnings

© Marketwatch

U.S. stocks finished lower on Tuesday with only the Dow clinging to gains for the session as investors digested more earnings reports from major American firms. The S&P 500 shed roughly 3 points, or 0.1%, to finish just shy of 4,017. The Nasdaq Composite dropped by 30 points, or 0.3%, to roughly 11,334. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 104 points, or 0.3%, to finish at roughly 33,734. More earnings from major U.S. companies, including Microsoft Corp. are due out after the bell.