Stocks Ended Lower as Earnings Kicked Off

U.S. stocks ended lower on Tuesday, as investors considered a first batch of corporate earnings results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 157.71 points, or 0.55%, to 28,679.81. The S&P 500 dipped 22.29 points, or 0.63%, to 3,511.93. The Nasdaq Composite gained 12.36 points, or 0.10%, to 11,863.90.

Oil futures finished higher on Tuesday, with U.S. prices reclaiming the $40 mark a day after settling at their lowest in a week, as data showed a jump in Chinese crude imports. West Texas Intermediate crude for November delivery rose 77 cents, or nearly 2%, to settle at $40.20 a barrel. December Brent crude tacked on 73 cents, or almost 1.8%, to $42.45 a barrel.