US stocks fell on Tuesday, hurt by Texas Instruments Inc's revenue outlook and an unexpected drop in a consumer confidence gauge, reviving worries about household spending as the holiday shopping season approaches.

But strong quarterly results from DuPont Co and a plan by the No 2 US chemicals maker to buy back $5 billion of its stock helped limit a broader market slide.

The Dow was down 10.96 points, or 0.11 percent, at 10,374.04. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 3.85 points, or 0.32 percent, at 1,195.53. The technology-laced Nasdaq Composite Index was down 9.13 points, or 0.43 percent, at 2,106.70.

Copyright Reuters, 2005