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New York • U.S. stocks are getting off to a weak start as investors hold back ahead of a report on consumer confidence.
The Standard & Poor's 500 fell three points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,844 in the first few minutes of trading Tuesday. Energy and bank stocks fell the most.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 35 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,171. The Nasdaq composite was flat at 4,291.
Investors will get a report on consumer confidence for February at 10 a.m. Eastern. Economists expect confidence fell slightly in February.
Tenet Healthcare sank 6 percent after the hospital operator reported a loss in the fourth quarter as it took on more debt.
Home Depot rose 2 percent after the nation's largest home improvement chain reported higher income than analysts were expecting.