Stocks Fall as Year-End Rally Pauses



Stocks were little changed on Tuesday, as traders digested a year-end rally to record levels while awaiting new U.S. inflation data set for release this week.

The Dow Jones Industrial index slid 4.13 points begin Tuesday at 44,397.88.

The much-broader index regained 12.16 points to 6,065.01

The NASDAQ Composite recovered 102.93 points to 19,839.46

Oracle shares slumped more than 8% after the database software company posted fiscal second-quarter results that missed Wall Street’s estimates. The stock has jumped more than 65% this year.

Investors are now waiting on the U.S. consumer price index report, which is due Wednesday and could influence how the Federal Reserve proceeds on interest rates at its Dec. 17-18 meeting. Economists polled by Dow Jones forecast that headline inflation rose 0.3% in November and 2.7% over the prior 12 months.

Prices for the 10-year Treasury lagged, raising yields to 4.24% from Monday’s 4.20%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Oil prices hiked 28 cents to $68.65 U.S. a barrel.

Prices for gold jumped $23.90 an ounce to $2,709.70 U.S.