By Rodrigo Campos
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumer and financial stocks edged up on Tuesday after the S&P 500 fell for four of the past five sessions, but the broader market struggled as the political impasse in Greece weighed on investor sentiment.
Quarterly results helped boost the S&P consumer discretionary sector, with TJX
But broader market gains were held back after attempts to form a government in Greece collapsed and sent European equities lower on the prospect those opposed to the terms of an EU bailout could sweep to victory in new elections.
U.S. retail sales rose 0.1 percent in April, slightly under expectations, while consumer prices were flat in the month. A report on manufacturing in New York state was sharply higher than expected.
"Retail sales were not so bad and Dick's and TJMaxx did well, they're indicating their business is going to be steady in the next quarter and they don't see deceleration in the consumer level," said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh.
Amazon
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 25.13 points, or 0.20 percent, to 12,720.48. The S&P 500 Index <.SPX> edged up 2.46 points, or 0.18 percent, to 1,340.81. The Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> gained 15.39 points, or 0.53 percent, to 2,917.97.
The S&P 500 index closed at its lowest level since February on Monday. Concerns about the situation in Europe have been a primary mover for the weakness, which have taken the benchmark index down more than 4 percent so far this month.
Groupon Inc
Banking stocks, which have suffered in the recent declines, were among the day's top percentage gainers.
Bank of America Corp
Avon Products Inc
Facebook Inc
(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos, editing by Dave Zimmerman)