NEW YORK – U.S. stocks closed mixed on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average edging higher while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite fell. The tech-heavy Nasdaq led the decline, weighed down by sharp losses in Tesla, Super Micro Computer, and other tech companies.

Investors are growing increasingly concerned about the Federal Reserve's next move on interest rates, with the latest consumer confidence data pointing to a potential slowdown in the economy. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell to 98.3 in February, the lowest level since August 2021.

The decline in consumer confidence comes as investors are also grappling with rising inflation and a potential economic slowdown. The Fed is expected to raise interest rates again at its next meeting, but the pace of future rate hikes remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, investors are eagerly awaiting Nvidia's earnings report, which is due out on Wednesday. Nvidia is a leading maker of graphics chips and its earnings are seen as a key indicator of the health of the tech sector.

"There's a lot of uncertainty in the market right now," said one trader. "Investors are worried about the economy, they're worried about the Fed, and they're worried about earnings."

Here's a look at some of the key market movers on Tuesday:

Tesla shares plunged 8.39% after the electric car maker reported a sharp drop in European sales.
Super Micro Computer shares tumbled 11.76% after the company said it may be delisted from the Nasdaq if it does not file its financial results for the fiscal year 2024.
Nvidia shares fell 1.51% ahead of the company's earnings report.
Amazon shares rose 0.04% after the company announced a new partnership with Google.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.37% to close at 43,621.16. The S&P 500 fell 0.47% to close at 5,955.25. The Nasdaq Composite fell 1.35% to close at 19,026.39.

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