Stocks End Mostly Down, Tesla Plunges on Outlook

U.S. stocks ended mostly lower on Tuesday, as investors weighed a better-than-expected reading on the U.S. services sector against lower euro-zone growth forecasts. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 20.90 points, or 0.13%, to 15,618.22. The S&P 500 lost 4.96 points, or 0.28%, to finish at 1,762.97. The Nasdaq Composite rose 3.27 points, or 0.08%, to 3,939.86.

The Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing index climbed to 55.4% last month from 54.4% in September, roughly in line with the 12-month average.

Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O) reported a stronger-than-expected third-quarter profit, but offered a fourth-quarter outlook that fell short of Wall Street estimates.

Ford Motor Co (NYS:F) promoted several younger executives to key roles on Tuesday, marking yet another step by the U.S. automaker to prepare for the eventual exit of Chief Executive Alan Mulally.

As many as 17 million low- to moderate-income Americans should be eligible for tax credits to buy private health insurance under President Barack Obama’s healthcare law in 2014, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation.