US stocks stayed near the break-even point on Tuesday as persisting worries about overseas fiscal problems offset optimism over data that underscored the view the economy was stabilising. Consumer confidence and housing data pointed to an improving economy, bolstering sentiment ahead of Friday's key payrolls report from the government.
But trading volumes were light, with Passover and the upcoming Easter holiday taking participants away from the market, traders said. Giving the market a lift was Apple Inc, whose move to develop a new iPhone buoyed telecom and chipmaker shares. Apple's stock was up 1.2 percent at $235.15. Financials kept the S&P 500 under pressure, with Bank of America shares down 1.6 percent at $17.76.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 9.60 points, or 0.09 percent, at 10,886.26. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 1.85 points, or 0.16 percent, at 1,171.37. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 1.41 points, or 0.06 percent, at 2,402.95.