Stocks Ended Mixed, Fed Officials’ Remarks in Focus

U.S. stocks ended mixed on Tuesday as investors considered whether the Federal Reserve would unwind plans to shift policy in a more dovish direction. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 22.65 points, or 0.08%, to 26,783.49. The S&P 500 gained 3.68 points, or 0.12%, to 2,979.63. The Nasdaq Composite added 43.35 points, or 0.54%, to 8,141.73.

Oil futures gained on Tuesday, buoyed by tensions with Iran that threaten the global flow of oil and by expectations for a weekly decline in U.S. crude supplies. August West Texas Intermediate crude rose 17 cents, or 0.3%, to settle at $57.83 a barrel. September Brent climbed 5 cents, or nearly 0.1%, to $64.16 a barrel.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell gave remarks at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Tuesday morning in his last public appearance before he delivers his semi-annual Monetary Policy Report to Congress on Wednesday and Thursday. Other members of the FOMC also spoke Tuesday.