Stocks were trading lower at the open Tuesday as Wall Street received a wave of earnings news, including reports from AT&T (T) and McDonald's (MCD). Disappointing guidance from Texas Instruments (TXN) was weighing on technology stocks.
AT&T impressed investors with a 22% jump in profits, as the company posted earnings of 74 cents per share, vs. 65 cents a year ago. Revenue rose 6.1%.
McDonald's saw first-quarter profits rise 24%. It posted earnings of 81 cents per share, up from 62 cents a year ago, as revenue rose 6%.
Meanwhile, reports on retail sales showed anemic consumer spending. Data on existing home sales, due later on Tuesday morning, was expected to show even slower sales in the housing market.
On Tuesday morning, the blue-chip Dow Jones industrial average fell 50.81 points, or 0.40%, to 12,774.21. The broader S&P 500 index was down 6.01 points, or 0.43%, to 1,382.16. And the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index lost 13.84 points, or 0.57%, to 2,394.20.
The U.S. Redbook said Tuesday that same-store sales fell 1.3% in the week ended Apr. 19. The International Council of Shopping Centers chain store index dropped 0.7% in the week ended Apr. 19, after rising 0.9% the week before.
"Consumers over the last week continued to face strong headwinds with new record high gasoline prices hurting discretionary spending," said Michael P. Niemira, the council's chief economist. Action Economics says: "Though sales have been slowing, consumer has yet to show he is down and out, despite record oil prices, and fears of a U.S. recession."
Among other stocks in the news, Texas Instruments (TXN) reported earnings of 49 cents per share, vs. 35 cents a year ago, as revenue rose 3%. Revenue declined 8%, with weaker sales into cell phones. Second quarter earnings guidance, at 42 to 48 cents per share, is below Wall Street expectations.
Novellus Systems (NVLS) posted earnings of 15 cents per share, vs. 42 cents a year ago, as sales fell 21%.
DuPont (DD) posted earnings of $1.31 per share, vs. $1.01 a year ago, as revenue rose 7.5%. The firm maintained its previous 2008 earnings forecasts.
AirTran Holdings (AAI) reported a loss of 38 cents per share, vs. earnings of 2 cents a year ago. Revenue rose 18%, but higher fuel costs and other expenses wiped out profits. The airline is cancelling plans to add capacity next year.
Lexmark International (LXK) posted earnings of $1.07 per share, vs. 95 cents a year ago, as revenue fell 6.3%.
Netflix (NFLX) reported earnings of 21 cents per share, vs. 14 cents a year ago, as revenue rose 7%. It ended the quarter with 8.243 million subscribers, which represents growth of 21%.
Major European indexes were mixed on Tuesday. In London, the FTSE 100 index edged down 0.01% to 6,052.20. Paris' CAC 40 index gained 0.17% to 4,918.73, and Germany's DAX index added 0.3% to 6,788.79.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.09% to 13,547.82, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was up 0.88% to 24,939.15.
Treasury market
Treasury prices were lower on Tuesday. The two-year notes were off 03/32 to 99-04/32 for a yield of 2.223%, while 10-year Treasuries fell 04/32 to 98-01/32 for a yield of 3.747% and the 30-year bond lost 05/32 to 97-315/32 for a yield of 4.504%.