Stocks Ended Slightly Lower as House Passed Tax Overhaul

U.S. stocks ended slightly lower on Tuesday, as the U.S. House of Representatives approved a long-awaited bill to overhaul the tax system. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 37.45 points, or 0.15%, to 24,754.75. The S&P 500 was down 8.69 points, or 0.32%, to 2,681.47. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 30.91 points, or 0.44%, to 6,963.85.

Oil prices rose modestly on Tuesday ahead of U.S. inventory data and the expiration of the January West Texas Intermediate contract. The January WTI crude contract expired at $57.46 a barrel, a gain of 30 cents or 0.5%. February WTI rose 34 cents, or 0.6%, to end at $57.56 a barrel. February Brent rose 39 cents, or 0.6%, to end at $63.80 a barrel.

House Republicans passed a sweeping tax overhaul that delivers a deep, lasting cut for corporations and temporary benefits for individuals, putting PresidentDonald Trump one step away from his first major legislative victory.