S&P 500 ends near flat, but Apple supports

U.S. stocks closed flat on Tuesday as investors continued to await clarity on European Central Bank plans to shore up heavily indebted countries, but the market ended off its lows on strength in Apple Inc .

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 54.90 points, or 0.42 percent, at 13,035.94. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 1.64 points, or 0.12 percent, at 1,404.94. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 8.09 points, or 0.26 percent, at 3,075.06.