NEW YORK — Glum economic news from FedEx left stocks mixed Tuesday.
The Dow Jones industrial average posted a slight gain, but other indexes fell. Declining stocks outnumbered those that advanced. And seven of the 10 industries tracked by the Standard & Poor’s 500 declined.
European stocks fell. So did oil prices.
FedEx said it sees a worldwide economy that has stalled. Investors pay close attention to the company’s forecasts because its package-delivery business spans the globe and offers a window into how the economy is doing.
FedEx reduced its fiscal-year profit forecast sharply because its customers used its express-air delivery service less in favor of slower and cheaper ground service. FedEx’s stock fell $2.73, or 3.1 percent, to close at $86.55.
Apple climbed above $700 for the first time, rising $2.13 to close at $701.91. Apple shares have risen more than 19 percent in the past three months.
“The market is at high levels, certainly due for a pullback, and I suspect we’ll probably see one,” said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital.
The S&P 500 fell 1.87 points to close at 1,459.32. The Nasdaq composite closed down 0.87 point at 3,177.80. The Dow rose 11.54 points to 13,564.64.
Markets had rallied sharply last week after the Federal Reserve announced aggressive measures intended to kick-start the economy. This week, investors appear more focused on the weak growth that caused the Fed to act in the first place.
The Fed’s announcement was for open-ended asset purchases, noted Charlie Smith, chief investment officer for Fort Pitt Capital Group. “The feeling on the Street is ‘OK, what can they do next?’ and by definition there’s nothing more they can do than what they announced,” he said.
Ed Hyland, managing director at JP Morgan Private Bank, said it’s noteworthy that the market hasn’t pulled back more after its recent run-up.
“It will be interesting to see, as we move into earnings season, how the market will react to what we think will be a little bit weaker earnings and macro data,” he said.
