US Stocks Eke Out Tiny Gains

US stock indexes eked out tiny gains after spending much of Wednesday in the red, the AP reports. Investors sized up new data on the US manufacturing, housing, and automobile industries. Consumer staples companies led the gainers, while telecommunications stocks lagged the rest of the market. Automakers GM and Ford Motors declined after reporting a drop in sales for May. Apparel maker Under Armour slumped 4% after the company warned that its results would be hurt by the bankruptcy of the sporting goods retail chain Sports Authority.

The Dow Jones industrial average edged up 2 points, less than 0.1%, to 17,789. The Standard and Poor's 500 index also rose 2 points, or 0.1%, to 2,099. The Nasdaq composite gained 4 points, or 0.1%, to 4,952. (More stock market stories.)