Investing.com -- U.S. stocks fell broadly as a major decline in Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) shares and mounting concerns surrounding the Chinese equities markets offset strong gains in Home Depot (NYSE:HD), on a day when both key components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average reported quarterly earnings.
The Dow and the NASDAQ Composite index moved lower on Tuesday, as a continued downturn in energy stocks and a minor sell-off in Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) weighed. The S&P 500 Composite index also fell considerably on a bearish day for the major indices. The Dow lost 33.84 or 0.19% to 17,511.34, erasing some of Monday's gains, while the NASDAQ finished as the session's underperformer after losing 32.35 or 0.64% to close at 5,059.35.
The S&P 500 also fell 5.52 or 0.26% to 2,096.92, as all10 sectors closed in the red. Stocks in the Basic Materials and Technology sectors lagged, each closing down by more than 0.65% on the session.
The Dow initially fell sharply on Tuesday morning after Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) lowered its full-year guidance for 2015, before paring some of its gains amid strong quarterly earnings from Home Depot (NYSE:HD). At one point on Tuesday, Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, fell to near 30-month lows at $69.45, in spite of posting stronger than expected revenues for its previous quarter. For Wal-Mart's second quarter of 2015, which ended in late-July, the retail giant earned revenues of $120.3 billion, above analysts' forecasts for $119.72 billion in revenue. Wal-Mart also increased comparative U.S. store sales by 1.5%, marking the fourth straight quarter of positive gains in the category.
Wal-Mart, however, lowered its full-year guidance amid converging headwinds from negative currency impacts, higher employee expenses and increased shrinkage levels from theft and damaged goods. Shares in Wal-Mart, the worst performer on the Dow, fell more than 3.4% on the session.
Home Depot, meanwhile, rose its full-year outlook after its U.S. comparative store sales surged by 5.7% during its previous quarter. The Atlanta-based retailer of home improvement products earned more than $24.8 billion in revenue over the quarter, slightly topping analysts' forecasts. Home Depot credited an improving housing market and increased spending among higher-earning consumers for the revenue spike. Shares in Home Depot, the top performer on the Dow, added 3.12 or 2.61% to 122.82.
The biggest gainer on the NASDAQ was Ross Stores Inc (NASDAQ:ROST), which rose 2.04 or 3.74% to 56.54, after posting strong revenue growth estimates that exceeded the industry average. The worst performer was Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU), which fell 0.82 or 4.76% to 16.40.
The top performer on the S&P was TJX Companies Inc (NYSE:TJX), which surged 5.22 or 7.29% to 76.83 after posting stronger than expected quarterly earnings and revenue. The TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX), Inc. serves as the parent company of T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods and Marshalls. The worst performer was Chicago-based Real Estate Investment Trust Ventas Inc (NYSE:VTR), which plunged 8.72 or 12.73% to 59.80. Earlier on Tuesday, Ventas completed the spin-off of Care Capital Properties, a skilled nursing facility REIT.
On the New York Stock Exchange, declining issues outnumbered advancing ones by a 2,022 to 1,103 margin.