U.S. stocks close mixed

NEW YORK, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks ended mixed on Tuesday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 6.71 points, or 0.02 percent, to 42,924.89. The S&P 500 sank 2.78 points, or 0.05 percent, to 5,851.2. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 33.12 points, or 0.18 percent, to 18,573.13.

Six of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in red, with industrials and materials leading the laggards by dropping 1.19 percent and 0.86 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, consumer staples and communication services led the gainers by going up 0.92 percent and 0.35 percent, respectively.