Roundup: U.S. stocks end mixed amid economic reports

U.S. stocks closed narrowly mixed after volatile trading Tuesday, as investors digested a batch of economic reports.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 6.49 points, or 0.04 percent, to 17,489.50. The S&P 500 fell 2.75 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,050.44. The Nasdaq Composite Index edged up 1.40 points, or 0.03 percent, to 4,986.02.

The U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all urban consumers increased 0.2 percent in October on a seasonally adjusted basis, in line with market consensus, the Labor Department said Tuesday.

The so-called core CPI, which excludes food and energy costs, edged up 0.2 percent in October, following a similar increase in September. The core CPI have risen 1.9 percent over the past 12 months.

"The CPI is trending ever-so-slowly higher, both headline and core. The increase, however, is entirely built on the dubious premise home owners' costs rise at the same rate as renters' costs," said Chris Low, chief economist at FTN Financial, in a note.

Meanwhile, U.S. industrial production declined 0.2 percent in October after decreasing at the same rate in September, missing market estimates of a 0.1-percent gain, according to statistics from the Federal Reserve Tuesday.

Investors also kept a close eye on the minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) due out Wednesday. Traders will look for more hints on the timing of an interest rate hike by the U.S. central bank.

In corporate news, shares of Wal-Mart rose 3.54 percent to 59.92 U.S. dollars apiece Tuesday, after the retail giant reported better-than-expected quarterly profit.

The company's quarterly diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were 1.03 dollars, benefited by a boost of approximately 4 cents a share from certain leases adjustment​.

The CBOE Volatility Index, often referred to as Wall Street's fear gauge, increased 3.74 percent to end at 18.84 on Tuesday.

In other markets, oil prices fell on market expectations that the U.S. supplies continued to expand.

The U.S. dollar traded mixed against other major currencies amid the country's newly-released economic data.

In late New York trading, the euro fell to 1.0650 dollars from 1.0678 dollars in the previous session, while the dollar bought 123.40 Japanese yen, higher than 123.28 yen of the previous session.

Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell as the U.S. dollar showed strength in the wake of the consumer price index report showing growing inflation.

The most active gold contract for December delivery fell 15 dollars, or 1.38 percent, to settle at 1,068.60 dollars per ounce. Endit