Afternoon Markets: US stocks slip as consumer confidence dips

Wall Street got off to a shaky start today as traders digest positive news on the housing market and a negative read on the Conference Board's consumer confidence index.

The Dow Jones was down 5.74 points (0.06%) to 9,783.62 by mid-morning. The S&P/Case Shiller housing price index beat economist expectations, falling just 13.3% year-on-year against expectations of a 14.2% year-on-year fall. However, the Conference Board, a New York-based business research group, reported its consumer confidence index fell to 53.1 in September from an upwardly revised 54.5 in August. Economists were hoping for a reading of 57. The tech and communication sectors are bearing the brunt of the downside in early trading, with Verizon Communications and AT&T down 0.89% an...