Stocks fall in early afternoon on mixed earnings

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are falling in early afternoon trading Tuesday following mixed earnings from U.S. companies. Home builder stocks fell broadly after more signs of weakness in the housing market.

KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor’s 500 index dropped seven points, or 0.4 percent, to 1,876 as of 12:51 p.m. Eastern time. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 83 points, or 0.5 percent, to 16,446. The Nasdaq composite fell 21 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,116.