U.S. stocks were mixed on Tuesday because investors refused from major actions waiting first-quarter earnings results that begin with Alcoa Inc.'s announcement.

The aluminum producer is expected to declare a profit of 75 cents per share. Investors are looking for results from the component of the Dow Jones industrial average to gauge the health of the overall economy.

In the fourth quarter of 2006, Standard & Poor's 500 companies showed an 18-quarter streak of double-digit profit gains, and the market participants expect profit growth to remain steady for the first three months of the year.

The Dow declined 13.17, or 0.10 percent, to 12,555.97. The S&P 500 increased 0.44, or 0.03 percent, to 1,445.05, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 2.75, or 0.11 percent, to 2,471.93.