U.S. stocks ended nearly unchanged on Tuesday, halting a two-day rally after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank lacks tools to cushion the U.S. economy from the impact of the "fiscal cliff."
Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 7.45 points, or 0.06 percent, to end unofficially at 12,788.51. But the Standard & Poor's 500 Index inched up 0.93 of a point, or 0.07 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,387.82. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up just 0.61 of a point, or 0.02 percent, to close unofficially at 2,916.68.
