Stocks Retreat, Nasdaq Declines for 4 Straight Days

U.S. stocks ended Tuesday’s choppy session lower, as investors appeared to take a pause in a day light on economic data releases. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 67.43 points, or 0.41%, lower at 16,351.25. The S&P 500 was down 9.54 points, or 0.51%, at 1,867.63. The Nasdaq Composite fell for the fourth consecutive day, ending down 27.26 points, or 0.63%, at 4,307.19.

Employers posted more job openings in January despite cold and stormy weather, though hiring slowed slightly. The number of job openings rose 1.5% to 3.9 million and was close to November’s five-year high, the Labor Department said Tuesday.

The leaders of the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday announced an agreement on legislation to wind down government-owned mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, jump-starting a long-standing debate that could still take years to resolve.

The Men’s Wearhouse (MW) announced today that it has extended its all-cash tender offer for $63.50 per share for all of the currently outstanding shares of common stock (including associated stock purchase rights) of Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. (JOSB) to 5:00 p.m.New York City time on March 19, 2014, unless
further extended.

The U.S. Justice Department started a preliminary investigation into how General Motors Co. handled the recall of 1.6 million vehicles with faulty ignition switches linked to at least 13 deaths.

A state securities regulator has ordered an exploration and production company to stop accepting bitcoins as payment for investments in its Texas oil wells.