US stocks fell on Tuesday after a surprising drop in consumer confidence sparked investor concern about spending and the strength of the economic recovery, even as the S&P 500 was set to close its first positive quarter in almost two years. The S&P energy index fell 1.5 percent as risk aversion resurfaced after the confidence data and helped lift the US dollar.
As a result, commodity prices fell. Services provider Schlumberger Limited fell 1.6 percent to $54.11, while Occidental Petroleum Corp lost 1.6 percent to $65.11. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 109.28 points, or 1.28 percent, to 8,420.10. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dropped 11.23 points, or 1.21 percent, to 916.00. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 14.54 points, or 0.79 percent, to 1,829.52.