Business briefing: Stock indexes falter late, close mostly lower

U.S. stock indexes closed mostly lower Tuesday after a late-afternoon splash of selling erased early gains, ending a weeklong rally. Banks accounted for much of the decline, along with utilities and industrial companies. Those losses offset gains in health care, technology and consumer products stocks. The benchmark S&P 500 ended barely lower, its second loss over the past seven trading days. It's still up 13 percent so far in 2019. The S&P 500 index slipped 0.37 points, or 0.01 percent, to 2,832.57. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 26.72 points, or 0.1 percent, to 25,887.38. The Nasdaq composite gained 9.47 points, or 0.1 percent, to 7,723.95. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks gave up 8.95 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,554.99. More stocks fell than rose on the New York Stock Exchange.

A jury in federal court in San Francisco has concluded that Roundup weed killer was a substantial factor in a California man's cancer. The unanimous verdict on Tuesday came in a trial that plaintiffs' attorneys said could help determine the fate of hundreds of similar lawsuits against Roundup's manufacturer, agribusiness giant Monsanto. It was the second jury verdict to find that Roundup caused non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Another jury reached that conclusion last year awarded the plaintiff, DeWayne Johnson, $289 million. Tuesday's verdict came in the case of 70-year Edwin Hardeman. The judge overseeing Hardeman's lawsuit had split the trial into two phases. Hardeman's attorneys first had to convince jurors that his use of Roundup was a significant factor in his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The trial will now proceed to the damages phase.

North Dakota's Republican-led Legislature on Tuesday repealed the nation's toughest Sunday business restrictions — rules that are rooted in religious tradition and that have been in place since statehood. Senators voted 25-21 on the House bill repealing the ban on Sunday morning shopping. Republican Gov. Doug Burgum has supported the repeal and is expected to sign the bill. The repeal would take effect Aug. 1.