S&P 500, Nasdaq end higher as investors eye economic path

The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 129.44 points, or 0.42%, to 30,967.82, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 6.06 points, or 0.16%, to 3,831.39 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 194.39 points, or 1.75%, to 11,322.24.

NEW YORK: The S&P 500 ended slightly higher on Tuesday as investors kept their focus on the growth trajectory of the U.S. economy, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq closed higher while the Dow slipped.

U.S. stocks have been under relentless selling pressure this year, with the benchmark S&P 500 index .SPX recording its steepest first-half percentage drop since 1970, as the Federal Reserve moves away from easy-money policy by raising borrowing costs.