NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks closed mostly flat after a volatile late-day period on Tuesday, with weakness in material and energy shares offsetting strength in financials.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dipped 1.82 points, or 0.01 percent, to end unofficially at 12,502.66. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> inched up just 0.64 of a point, or 0.05 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,316.63. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> slipped 8.13 points, or 0.29 percent, to close unofficially at 2,839.08.
(Reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by Jan Paschal)
