Stocks slip as investors take profits after jump

NEW YORK - Caution returned to Wall Street ahead of results of the government's stress tests of banks.

Stocks are moderately lower Tuesday following a jump Monday that sent the Standard & Poor's 500 index into positive territory for the year. Positive news on the housing market drove the gains.

Results are due Thursday for the government's tests on large U.S. banks, and on Friday the government will report monthly employment data.

The Dow Jones industrial average is down 16 at 8,411. The S&P 500 index is down 3 at 903.80, very close to the level where it started the year. The Nasdaq composite index is down 9 at 1,754.

About eight stocks fell for every seven that rose on New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 1.5 billion shares.

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