Tuesday's afternoon trade: stocks edge lower

US stocks edged lower on Tuesday following three days of gains, but the recent rally has investors feeling less edgy about crises in Japan and Libya, and should help keep losses in check. The CBOE Volatility Index fell 2.7 percent to 20.05, not far from its level before the crisis in Japan sparked a huge spike.
That suggests investors are more sanguine about the continuing problems in Japan, the Middle East and North Africa. The Dow Jones industrial average shed 15.37 points, or 0.13 percent, to 12,021.16. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index slipped 4.19 points, or 0.32 percent, to 1,294.19. The Nasdaq Composite Index declined 11.10 points, or 0.41 percent, to 2,680.99.