Stocks fell at the end of Tuesday's session, ending modestly lower, as a sell-off in the financial sector offset an earlier rally sparked by Apple's better-than-expected quarterly results and a positive reading on U.S. consumer confidence. In economic news, U.S. consumer confidence rose more than expected in January, improving for the sixth consecutive month, but confidence remains relatively weak amid high unemployment and declining home values. The U.S. dollar gained versus the euro and fell versus the yen. Light sweet crude oil for February delivery fell 55 cents to $74.71 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold rose $2.60 to $1,098.30 an ounce. --MORE
