U.S. stocks pared early losses midday Tuesday but attempts by major benchmarks to move decisively higher have been limited by weakness in the energy sector amid reports that Saudi Arabia may recover sooner than expected, after a weekend attack on its energy complex that drove crude-oil futures to the sharpest single-session rally since the 2008 financial crisis.

Investors were buying consumer discretionary and consumer staples shares as energy stocks were off sharply.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 40 points, or 0.1%, at 27,037, while the Nasdaq Composite Index edged 6 points, or less than 0.1%, higher to 8,160.

On Monday, the Dow fell 142.7 points, or 0.5%, to close at 27,076.82, ending an eight-day winning streak. The S&P 500 index shed 9.43 points, or 0.3%, to finish at 2,997.96, while the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 23.17 points, or 0.3%, to end at 8,153.54.

Source : Market Watch