U.S. stocks fall amid earnings reports

U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday, as investors mainly digested newly-released corporate earnings.

By noon, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 141.69 points, or 0.69 percent, to 20,495.23. The S&P 500 lost 10.80 points, or 0.46 percent, to 2,338.21. The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 19.40 points, or 0.33 percent, to 5,837.39.

Shares of Goldman Sachs tumbled over 4.5 percent around midday Tuesday, after it reported weaker-than-expected first-quarter results.

The Goldman Sachs reported net revenues of 8.03 billion U.S. dollars and net earnings of 2.26 billion dollars for the first quarter 2017. Diluted earnings per common share were 5.15 dollars.

Bank of America posted quarterly net income of 4.9 billion dollars, and earnings per share of 41 cents, topping Wall Street expectations.

On the economic front, U.S. privately-owned housing starts in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,205,000, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

This is 6.8 percent below the revised February estimate, but is 9.2 percent above the March 2016 rate.

U.S. industrial production increased 0.5 percent in March after moving up 0.1 percent in February, in line with estimates, the Federal Reserve reported. Endit