The Dow Jones industrial average fell 9.60 to 5,720.38, recovering from a loss of nearly 35 on a late-session rebound led largely by the blue-chip barometer's oil components.
Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 10-to-9 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,231 up, 1,117 down and 839 unchanged.
NYSE volume totaled 387.46 million shares vs. 345.72 million in the previous session. Broad-market measures slipped too, with the Nasdaq market showing the steepest loss after the latest in a series of negative earnings outlooks from computer-related businesses.
The NYSE composite index fell 0.69 to 361.01, and the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index dropped 2.28 to 673.60.
The Nasdaq composite index fell back 5.76 to 1,191.69, and the American Stock Exchange's market value index slipped 0.69 to 579.56.
Trading was fairly restrained after Monday's late rally, which was spurred by optimism the Federal Reserve would leave interest rates alone for now. But until the Fed comments, few investors were willing to bid prices higher.
Bonds slipped on Tuesday, pulling stocks lower, after the Commerce Department reported that new home sales rose in May to the highest level in 10 years. Analysts, noting sharply higher mortgage rates, had expected sales to fall about 3.5 percent.