Stocks Traded Mixed as Markets Paused after Rally

U.S. stocks were mixed in the early trading on Tuesday, as investors considered a pared-down stimulus proposal from congressional lawmakers. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately fell 25.17 points, or 0.09%, to 27,558.89. The S&P 500 was up 0.70 point, or 0.02%, to 3,352.30. The Nasdaq Composite gained 10.46 points, or 0.09%, to 11,127.99.

Crude-oil prices on Tuesday were retreating as investors worried about rising cases of COVID-19 throughout the globe. West Texas Intermediate crude for November delivery fell 23 cents, or 0.6%, at $40.37 a barrel.
December Brent slipped 14 cents, or 0.3%, to reach $42.73 a barrel.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city composite home price index grew by a greater than expected margin over last month and last year in July, as housing demand continues to boom. Over last month, the home price index for 20 major US metropolitan areas rose 0.55%, jumping ahead of the 0.10% gain expected and the unchanged reading from June.

The US trade deficit grew by $2.8 billion to a record $82.9 billion in August, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, as imports rebounded from the pandemic more quickly than exports, driving a yawning goods trade gap in the US. Imports jumped 3.1% to $201.3 billion in August, hitting a seven-month high. Exports, meanwhile, increased 2.8% to $118.3 billion.