Stocks Cling to Tiny Gains as Investors Parse Trade Signals

Major U.S. stock indexes closed mixed Tuesday, shedding most of their gains from earlier in the day, after a published report revealed that an interim trade deal between the U.S. and China does not remove tariffs on Chinese goods. The benchmark S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite finished slightly off their record highs from a day earlier. The Dow Jones Industrial Average notched a slight gain. Small-company stocks rose. Technology stocks accounted for much of the selling. The sector is particularly sensitive to developments in trade relations because many of the companies rely on China for sales and supply chains. Investors also bid up shares in several big banks, including JPMorgan Chase and...