US stock indices slipped on Tuesday after a report showed consumer confidence dropped in February.

The S&P 500 fell 0.7%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.7%. The Nasdaq declined 1.4%.

At the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 48.5 points, or 0.11%, to 43,509.74. The S&P 500 fell 0.5 points, or 0.01%, to 5,982.73​, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 44.3 points, or 0.23%, to 19,242.608.

The consumer confidence in the US plummeted in February, the biggest monthly fall in more than four years, Conference Board said on Tuesday.

The Consumer Confidence Index sank this month to 98.3 from 105.3 in January. The seven-point drop was the biggest month-to-month decline since August of 2021.

Bullion

Gold prices fell on Tuesday as investors booked profits after a record high in the previous session, with ongoing fears of a trade war.

Spot gold fell 0.6 per cent to $2,934.99 an ounce as of 09:55 am (1455 GMT). US gold futures declined 0.5 per cent to $2,948.60.

Spot silver shed 1.2 per cent to $31.96 an ounce.