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Stocks Turning In A Lackluster Performance In Early Trading - US Commentary(Alliance News Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WASHINGTON (Alliance News) - Stocks are showing a lack of direction in early trading on Tuesday after ending the previous session mostly higher. The major average are lingering near the unchanged line, reflecting the lackluster performance by the markets. Currently, the major averages are posting modest gains. The Dow is up 11.56 points or 0.1% at 16,581.54, the Nasdaq is up 4.19 points or 0.1% at 4,405.52 and the S&P 500 is up 2.15 points or 0.1% at 1,939.07. The choppy trading on Wall Street comes amid another quiet day on the US economic front, with traders looking ahead to the release of some key data in the coming days. The Commerce Department is scheduled to release its closely retail sales report on Wednesday, while reports on weekly jobless claims, producer prices and industrial production may attract attention later in the week. Traders are also keeping an eye on developments overseas amid reports that Russia is sending a convoy of 280 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine. Officials from the Ukrainian government have indicated that the convoy will not be allowed to cross the border due to concerns that the aid may be used as a pretense for launching a military intervention. Most of the major sectors are showing only modest moves, although some early strength is visible among gold stocks amid an increase by the price of the precious metal. With gold for December delivery climbing USD5.50 to USD1,316 an ounce, the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index is advancing by 1.1% Among individual stocks, shares of Intercept Pharmaceuticals (ICPT) are moving sharply higher in early trading after the biopharmaceutical company released positive data on its liver disease drug. Molecular diagnostics company Exact Sciences (EXAS) is also seeing early strength after the FDA approved its non-invasive colon cancer screening test. On the other hand, shares of Nuance Communications (NUAN) have come under pressure after the speech recognition software maker provided disappointing guidance. In overseas trading, stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region turned in a mixed performance during trading on Tuesday. Japan's Nikkei 225 Index crept up by 0.2%, while China's Shanghai Composite Index edged down by 0.1%. Meanwhile, the major European markets have all moved to the downside on the day. While the UK's FTSE 100 Index has dipped by 0.3%, the French CAC 40 Index and the German DAX Index are down by 0.8% and 0.9%, respectively. In the bond market, treasuries seeing modest weakness after ending the previous session nearly flat. As a result, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, is up by nearly a basis point at 2.429%. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX |